1998 Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Clos St-Jean

The Great White Hope emerges, a ’98 Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Clos St-Jean, from a vineyard better know for its reds. Within the idiom of barrel-fermented, oaked and malo’d chardonnays, no one does it better than Niellon, and this wine, from a less-than-stellar vineyard and a less-than-stellar vintage comes through as a rich, intense, perfectly balanced wine. Quite a mouthful, and at a relatively bargain price.

SY (12/00)