A release of about 20,500 bottles, the Les Crêtes 2017 Valle d'Aosta Chardonnay Cuvée Bois reveals a saturated golden hue with luscious aromas of honey, dried apricot, nectarine and candied lemon peel. This is a full-bodied white wine that delivers plenty of texture and creaminess but that never feels heavy or flat. The high-altitude alpine climate gives this wine plenty of zesty acidity and inner freshness to enjoy with a creamy French serving such as chicken au poivre.

The 2016 Valle d'Aosta Chardonnay Cuvée Bois is a mid-weight expression with creamy tones of canned peach, lemon mouse and almond paste. This wine performs beautifully in the mouth especially when you consider the softness and generosity of its fiber and texture. It ages on the fine lees with frequent batonnage in French oak for 11 months. Oak toast and spice builds intensity and complexity. However, there is no residual heaviness here. This mountain Chardonnay is fresh, zesty and almost electric in personality. Some 23,358 bottles were released.

The 2011 Valle d'Aosta Chardonnay Cuvée Bois is a delicious and rich white wine with a creamy personality and heavy aromas of apricot, honey, almond paste and grilled herb. It shows an enduring personality with thick fruit sensations and a generously opulent style. At the far back are slightly oxidized aromas of caramel and butterscotch. There is no denying the immense inner beauty of this northern Italian Chardonnay.

The 2010 Chardonnay Cuvee Bois is richer, deeper and more expressive, largely because of the aging in oak. I can’t say it is meaningfully better or more complex than the straight Chardonnay, because it isn’t; it is just different. Smoke, ash and the essence of crushed rocks wrap around the building, creamy finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. No one has done more to put the Valle d’Aosta on the map of consumers in this country than Les Cretes and proprietor Costantino Charrere. This is a strong set of new releases that highlight the unique qualities of the Valle d’Aosta’s many indigenous red and white varieties.Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799

The 2008 Chardonnay Cuvee Bois reveals a cooler, more taut personality. The tension between the fruit and the wine's structural components conveys an impression of vitality. Varietal fruit, French oak, minerals and dried flowers are woven together in a tapestry of inimitable class. Sweet, spiced notes from the oak linger on a finish that turns explosive and saline as the wine grows in the glass. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2018. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799