Brine and sweat mingle with honeysuckle and narcissus in the nose of Amiot’s two barrels' worth of 2007 Montrachet. Palpably dense, satiny in texture, yet for this cru unusually bright, this also shows its wood a bit, and certainly lacks the memorable dynamic of the Demoiselles. Still, it finishes with impressive persistence, incorporating ripe peaches and their pits, salt, and chalk. I would plan to drink it over the next 4-6 years. Thierry Amiot was one of a number of growers who admitted to me that their choice of starting date for the 2007 Chardonnay harvest was inevitably influenced by the presence of a crew who had just finished bringing in a ridiculously early crop of Pinot Noir, and that perhaps in the first days this picking might have been a bit too early for optimal Chardonnay flavor. Still, better that than any botrytis: Amiot’s 2007s are far more impressive than had been his collection of 2006s, which suffered occasional diffuse, volatile, or rough patches, and were really only convincing in the upper-echelons. The 30-50% new wood used here was once again evident, as are the results of batonnage (omitted in 2006). Finished alcohol levels this year do not exceed 13.5%, which is lower than in other recent Amiot vintages. As usual, village wines were bottled at one year and premier crus along with the reds, after 16 months. Importer; Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524