The oak-scented 1999 Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts is medium-bodied, spicy, and tangy. Flowers and anise can be found in its broad personality. Anticipated maturity: now-2006. Importers: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel (212) 924-4949, and Bacchus Importers, Baltimore, MD; (800) 525-9699.

The Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts has stones, earth, flowers and lovely purity to its bouquet. On the palate, minerals, anise, and honeysuckle can be found in its rich, oily, medium-to-full body. Anticipated maturity: 1999-2004. Importers: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel (212) 924-4949, and Bacchus Importers, Baltimore, MD; (800) 525-9699.

The Puligny Montrachet Les Referts displays a concentrated nose of white flowers and roasted, toasted fruits that leads to an equally concentrated palate with good intensity, length and refinement. It will be at its peak between 2004-2008. This note is the result of tastings I did in Burgundy between January 7 and January 29. Trebuchet believes young white wines, especially his, deserve to be afforded the same right to breathe as red wines before being consumed. He recommends decanting them a half hour or more before they are served. Olivier Humbrecht of the Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace shares a similar belief, convincing me a number of years ago of the beneficial characteristics breathing can add to his wines. The goal of this firm is to produce firm, elegant wines that are made for the long haul. These are not big leesy, flamboyant wines because Jean Chartron and Louis Trebuchet do not believe that style of white will age well. Trebuchet stated that "overly stirring the lees covers a wine's finesse and typicity more than oak ever could." Importers: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel (212) 924-4949, and Bacchus Importers, Baltimore, MD; (800) 525-9699.

Among Chartron et Trebuchet's premiers crus, all the wines I tasted were good, but those that stood out included a super-elegant, highly extracted, dense, deliciously ripe 1989 Puligny-Montrachet-Les Referts. I thought this premier cru was every bit as good as the grands crus I tasted from Chartron et Trebuchet. I would opt for drinking it over the next 5-8 years. The 1989 white Burgundies from Chartron et Trebuchet are the best this relatively young negociant firm has yet produced. After tasting through their entire line, I noted (and I have seen this in past vintages as well) that a number of their lower level wines taste every bit as good as some of their premiers crus and grands crus. In fact, despite how good the Batard-Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet tasted, the grands crus do not seem to be significantly better, and perplexingly, are not as interesting, nor as rich as their best premiers crus. A Becky Wasserman Selection - various importers.