Niellon, like many of his forthright colleagues, described the 1997 whites as "delicious and easy to drink." No hyperbole at this address. In the corner of Michel Niellon's cellar stands a barrel on which he places the bottles he serves visitors. When I arrived for my annual tasting, Niellon did what he always does, he moved those bottles to the floor, and pulled new, unopened ones from the stacks awaiting shipping. To my shock they were painfully closed and reeked of sulfur. After some prodding, Niellon acquiesced and allowed me to taste from the wine that had been opened for a few hours. Readers take note: these comments are from a bottled wine that had been opened and had benefited from exposure to air. Offering tangy lemon and mineral aromas, the Chassagne-Montrachet Les Champs Gains is well-balanced and medium-to-full-bodied. This wine is beautifully delineated, has precise clay, earth, stone, and anise flavors, and a velvety-textured personality. It is rich and dense, yet Niellon somehow maintained its oustanding balance. Anticipated maturity: now-2005. Importer: Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel (212) 572-7725.