By Burgundian standards the Chateau de la Maltroye is a baby. The superb 18th century chateau with its 15thcentury cellars was purchased by the Cornut family in 1940. In 1995 Jean-Pierre took over from his father Andre andquality has rocketed in line with the domaine’s fine landholdings.

In the vineyards chemicals are kept to a minimum and the grapes are harvestedand sorted by hand. The chardonnay is pressed by pneumatic press and after lowtemperature fermentation they are transfered to barrel. the percentage of new oakvaries depending on the appellation with regular premier crus seeing around 30%and the top wines Dent de Chien, Ruchottes and La Romanee between 65% and100%. A variety of high class oaks are used with to complement the style of eachvineyard.

Today the wines are consideredamongst the finest in the village.The style is rich and powerful withdiscernable oak in their youth andsome complexing sulphidecharacter. They are serious and

considered wines with excellent distinction between the vineyards. IfDomaine Leflaive made Chassagne-Montrachets they could verywell taste just like these wines.

I tasted a number of the wines at the domaine in February 2011. I wasimmmediately knocked out by their power and concentration. Theyuncannily combine both to create a rare feeling of balance with richnessof flavour. Best of all we have cherry picked the finest of the domaine’s Premier Crus and have even managed towrangle a little of the terrific 2007 vintage to introduce you to these exciting wines. They are not cheap but thequality, power and richness (without heaviness) is exceptional. And they are cheaper than the Premier Crus ofDomaine Leflaive!

2009 VintageAll serious Burgundy drinkers will have read of the success of the 2009 vintage for red wines. If you have beenfortunate enough to taste you will understand why the wines are being compared to 1999 with perfect ripeness andsublime aromas.

But what of the white wines? I recall some early reports that the white vintage was rather ordinary. But as time rolls

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on, and now that virtually all wines have been bottled, opinion seems to be changing. Certainly the vintage is not asaustere and acid as 2007, but like the 2009 reds the whites show great style and purity.

Having tasted quite a number of the wines in February I am pleased to see the 2009 whites being praised as Icertainly did not see blowsy, tropical wines, soft wines at the domaines. In fact the purity and definition of the betterwines was delightfully surprising. The wines have lower acid than in 2008 but have no lack of freshness. DominiqueLafon considers the vintage outstanding for whites. The one consensus, if there is ever such a thing in Burgundy, isthat those who picked early were able to make wines from very healthy grapes with plenty of backbone and no surmaturite.

The power of certain wine scribes is irrefutable so it is great to read alternative opinions from other experiencedtasters. I like what I read in The World of Fine Wine Issue 31 2011 “Some critics have already declaredthis a supremely red-wine vintage, with the whites being not in the same class, lacking a little acidity. This seemswide of the mark. The best riposte comes from Gilles de Courcel, the master behind the renaissance of the venerablehouse of Chanson and its exceptional estate in the Côte de Beaune. De Courcel explains that since the flowering ofChardonnays had been quite heterogenous, chemical analysis could not give an accurate picture of the results. “Itwas only by tasting the heart of the cuvée, produced by the gentle pressing of the fruit, that we were able to clarifythe exceptional quality of the must,” he said. “First tastings from the cask have led us to believe that 2009 is anabsolutely exceptional vintage [for whites], in terms of both balance and delicacy.” In perfectionist hands like deCourcel’s, acidity is normal, satisfactorily supporting the ripeness.” “The Côte de Beaune whites provide someexquisite bottles. Meursault is a star this year. “The quality and consistency across the appellation hierarchy is betterthan in 2008,” writes the perceptive Sarah Marsh MW , editor of respected newsletter The Burgundy Briefing.”

2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Vignes BlancheUsual Price $115.00Pre-Arrival Price $99.00

Jean-Pierre Cornut considers the Vignes Blanches section to be the bestpart of Morgeot so he bottles it separately from his Morgeot Fairendes.The vines are almost 60 years old producing a rich wine of seriousdepth. Jasper Morris says “It is backward in its youth, tightly wound,yet with multiple dimensions waiting to emerge with age”.

Tanzer: Perfumed aromas of white peach and stone. Pure, sappy andenergetic; this boasts excellent clarity and intensity for Morgeot,especially from a warm vintage. Finishes juicy and long. Has thebalance to age but this tastes awfully good right now. 90 Points

2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Chateau de la MaltroyeMonopoleUsual Price $125.00Pre-Arrival Price $109.00From a 1.37 ha site in front of the chateaux. Vine age is over 50 years.Remington Norman “This fine, south-east facing slope gives abeautifully balanced wine with fresh honeyed fruit aromas, generousfruit on the palate and crisp finish”. Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy “Asofter, gentler version of Chassagne yet always impeccably balanced.Supple, gently nuanced wine combining weight and minerality withoutbeing extreme in either. Only this producer is allowed to spell Maltroyewith a ‘y’ instead of an ‘i’ (in theory).”

Tanzer: Very pale color. Reticent nose hints at oak spice. At once sweet and penetrating, with ripe acidity givingshape and grip to the youthful stone fruit and mineral flavors. This, too, offers lovely balance. 90 Points

2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes RuchottesUsual Price $159.00Pre-Arrival Price $139.00A 0.29 ha holding with vine age approaching 60 years. Jasper MorrisInside Burgundy “This wine tends to be relatively discreet at first butdevelops exceptional richness of flavour towards the back of thepalate. There is no feeling of oakiness despite the use of two-thirdsnew wood.”

Tanzer: Sexy, musky ginger and stony reduction on the nose. Verysweet and rich, but with no shortage of energy thanks to the wine'sstony underpinning. A lot of dimension for premier cru. Finishesimpressively long, with a continuing crushed rock quality. 91 Points

2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La RomaneeUsual Price $169.00Pre-Arrival Price $149.000.26 ha with vine age of 36 years. There is almost no topsoil inMaltroye’s parcel and the vines grow into fragmented, heavilyfissured rock. Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy “The longest lasting ofthe Chateau’s Premier Cru vineyards thanks to its exceptionallyintense minerality, which for Jean-Pierre Cornut brings to mindCorton-Charlemagne.”

Tanzer: Aromas of white peach flesh and crushed stone. Sweet, broadand rich but with a light touch. This really saturates the mouth withperfume. Cornut likes to use a good percentage of barrels from theTonnelerie du Val de Loire in this and some of his other wines. The same wine from a Stephan Chassin barrelshowed musky peach and brown spice aromas; a suave, seamless mouthfeel; and terrific length. This should be abeauty. 91 Points

2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Dent de ChienUsual Price $210.00Pre-Arrival Price $189.00

La Dent de Chien adjoins Chevalier Montrachet and Montrachet. Thevines were planted in 1936. Remington Norman “...give a wine bothrich and honeyed whilst still retaining a crisp, fresh acidity.” In 1937much of La Dent de Chien was reclassified as Montrachet, I guess itwas a case of who you knew. Chateau de la Maltroye own more thanhalf of this exceptional site. A very serious wine which could easily beGrand Cru.

Tanzer: In-your-face aromas of ginger, cinnamon, crushed stone andiodiney minerality. Sweet and supple but less showy than the Grand Ruchottes or La Romanee. Plenty of spicy oakapparent today, but has the sheer concentration to support it. This very dense and suave but backward wine willrequire at least a few years of bottle aging to reveal the full force of its personality. Finishes very long, with arepeating element of crushed stone. 92 Points

2008 VintageWhilst I am a fan of the minerally, lean 2007 white burgundies it is fair to say that not everyone agrees. Certainlythose looking for shorter term pleasure often find them a little to restrained, or just simply too austere and acid.Tanzer describes 2008 as “Minerally too, with greater density and richness than 2007, occasionally with a glyceral oreven exotic quality due to some botrytis; a thicker and more accessible version of “classic” than 2007”. Burghoundsays “2008 – Another Classic Vintage that is Essentially a 2007 Redux but with Better Concentration.....2008 is moreconcentrated, slightly riper and will be more agreeable young.....2007 is perhaps more for the hardcore traditionalistwhereas 2008 will please most enthusiasts”.

2008 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Vignes BlancheUsual Price $115.00Pre-Arrival Price $99.00Tanzer: Pungent aromas of white peach, pear, minerals and whiteflowers; very Chassagne. Then suave and juicy in the mouth, withnicely integrated acidity giving the wine a light touch. Conveys anenticing impression of sweetness but this is bone-dry (Cornut claimsthat most of his 2008s finished below 0.5 gram/liter r.s., which isextremely low). Strong and brisk on the long finish. 91 Points

Burghound: A classic Chassagne nose of yellow orchard fruit, resin andan herbal/earth character that carries over onto the generous, plump andsolidly well-concentrated flavors that possess a good level of dry extract that serves to buffer the firm acidity andadd a bit of flesh to the linear and moderately austere finish. This is less fine than the Chenevottes but compensateswith its superior length. A qualitative choice. A Sweet Spot wine. 91 Points, Drink: 2013+

2008 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Chateau de la MaltroyeMonopoleUsual Price $125.00Pre-Arrival Price $109.00Tanzer: Pale, bright yellow. Aromas of ripe peach and pear, lifted by afloral perfume. Lush, soft and sweet but with good minerality givingshape and finesse to the peach and floral flavors. In the rich, amplestyle of Morgeot yet maintains very good freshness. A lovely, long2008. 92 Points

Burghound: A somewhat more elegant nose of primarily dried rosepetal and freshly cut citrus zest trimmed in a hint of wood toast leadsto rich, full-bodied and utterly delicious flavors that retain focus and precision on the still tight, racy and distinctlyaustere finish. This is very much built on its minerality and is really quite stylish. Recommended. A Sweet Spotwine. 92 Points, Drink: 2014+

2008 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes RuchottesUsual Price $159.00Pre-Arrival Price $139.00Tanzer: Pale yellow. Pear and crushed stone on the nose. Quite ripe butserious and classically dry, with pear and stone flavors lifted by analmost peppery element. Really spreads out and lingers on theyouthfully austere back end. This needs some time. 92 Points

Burghound: A subtle trace of pain grillé adds nuance to the perfumedripe peach and apricot aromas that express a bit less citrus influencethan usual. The fresh, naturally sweet and unusually refined middleweight flavors are really quite sophisticated compared to the flavorprofile that one typically finds in a classic Ruchottes, all wrapped in a mouth coating, admirably intense and bonedry finish. This is a very serious, even brooding wine but if you have the patience and like the mix of a sweet mid-palate with old school acidity, it is recommended. A Sweet Spot wine. 92 Points, Drink: 2014+

2008 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La RomaneeUsual Price $169.00Pre-Arrival Price $149.00Tanzer: Vibrant aromas of pear, flowers and minerals. Fat and sweetbut less accessible and perfumed in the middle today. Quite pure andstony, but with fruit very much in the background. Finishes quitebackward, with a dominant element of wet stone. Hands off this for awhile. 91 Points

Burghound: Discreet oak notes don't compromise the expressivenessof the white peach and subtly exotic fruit aromas that introduceconcentrated, naturally sweet and textured medium plus weightflavors that possess excellent complexity and fine intensity. This iscertainly very pretty and unusually fine as well as slightly more mineral-driven than the typical example of LaRomanée. In a word, terrific. A Sweet Spot wine. 93 Points, Drink: 2015+

2008 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Dent de ChienUsual Price $210.00Pre-Arrival Price $189.00Tanzer: Musky, precise aromas of citrus fruits, quinine and iodineyminerality. Surprisingly rich and layered following the refined nosebut this very suave wine boasts plenty of energy and lift to its flavorsof pear, white flowers and crushed stone. Really echoes on the long,scented back end. 93 Points

Burghound: A reserved, pure and refined citrus and acacia blossomnose displays secondary nuances of pear and white peach aromas thatmerge into rich, concentrated and very powerful full-bodied flavorsthat possess a superb level of dry extract plus a strikingly long andexplosive finish that really stains the palate. This too finishes bone dry and will require extended cellar time to reachits apogee. Impressive. A Sweet Spot wine. 93 Points, Drink: 2015+

2007 VintageBurghound: “As the scores and comments suggest, I was highly impressed with Cornut's results and every wine inthe range is worthy of your consideration. I have pointed this out before but it's worth repeating. The style is modernbut it's modern with the highest quality raw materials. I have also found the style slowly becoming more traditionaland 2007 is perhaps the purest vintage that I have seen here. The wood treatment is not invisible but neither is itdominant with new wood running around 60% for the upper level 1ers. If you're not familiar with the wines, youowe it to yourself to take a look. Further, I asked Cornut what his present policy was regarding pre-bottling free SO2levels and he shoots for around 32 ppm.”

2007 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Chateau de la MaltroyeMonopoleUsual Price $125.00Pre-Arrival Price $109.00Tanzer: Less expressive and fruity on the nose than the Vigne Blanche,showing menthol and stone notes. Supple on entry, then ratherbackward in the middle palate, with lovely cut to the citrus and crushedstone flavors. Finishes broad and quite dry, especially following theVigne Blanche. Both of these parcels are always picked early, notedCornut, but this one is always more minerally. 91 Points

Burghound: A very pure, fresh, airy and more elegant nose featuresnotes of white flower, mineral hints and orange peel that also characterizes the delicious, sappy and concentratedflavors that are equally pure, textured and precise, all wrapped in an explosive, long and impeccably balanced finish.Excellent quality. A Sweet Spot wine. 92 Points, Drink: 2012+

2007 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes RuchottesUsual Price $159.00Pre-Arrival Price $139.00Tanzer: Very tight on the nose. Quite taut in the mouth, conveying analmost saline impression of strong dry extract to its high-pitched floraland stony flavors. This has almost Chablis-like cut. At once aromaticand powerful on the classically dry back end. Seemed to gain inbreadth with aeration and calls for aging. This should make an idealshellfish wine. 92 Points

Burghound: This is notably finer aromatically though not necessarilypurer with freshly cut lemon, dried rose petal and spice hints merginginto detailed, superbly intense and beautifully precise medium full flavors brimming with dry extract and a strikingunderlying tension on the energetic and almost painfully intense finish that goes on and on. Highly recommended. ASweet Spot wine. 93 Points, Drink: 2014+

Grand Millesime Pty Ltd6/40 Batman StreetWest MelbourneVic 3003Callers by appointment.Phone: (03) 9326 5737Fax: (03) 9326 6744www.grandmillesime.com.audarren@grandmillesime.com.au

2007 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La RomaneeUsual Price $169.00Pre-Arrival Price $149.00Tanzer: Pale color. Subtle aromas of fresh pineapple, stone andminerals, lifted by a note of hawthorn. Sweeter and suppler than theGrandes Ruchottes, but still quite broad and dry. Offers acompellingly fine-grained texture and mounts impressively on thevery long finish, which displays strong minerality without anyimpression of hardness. 93 Points

Burghound: At present, this offers the most complex nose in the rangewith notes of wet stone, white flower, yellow orchard fruit and citrusnotes that complement the intense, pure and detailed flavors thatculminate in a powerful and hugely long finish that completely coats and stains the palate. A classy and deep effort.A Sweet Spot wine. 93 Points, Drink: 2012+

And One out of the Bag!2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Chateau de la MaltroyeMonopole ROUGEUsual Price $89.00Pre-Arrival Price $75.00A 1.37 ha holding in front of the chateau. Vine age is almost 50 years.

Chassagne rouge is not a wine I set out to purchase. But Jean-Pierreinsisted I try a couple of his reds which were still in barrel. I have tosay I was stunned at the quality and concentration of this wine. It hasgreat deep colour with serious fruit weight. It was very impressiveindeed!

Mixed 14-Bottle Case OfferIncluding a Free 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du

Chateau de la Maltroye ROUGE!Like to try the wines? We offer a Pack containing one of each of the 13 Different Whites in this Offer plus a FREEbottle of the 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos du Chateau de la Maltroye Monopole ROUGE. These aregreat wines so don’t miss this opportunity.

Usual Price $2,009.00Pre-Arrival Price $1,767.00