Tasted blind in Hong Kong, the Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru les Folatières 2004 from Domaine d'Auvenay is a brilliant wine from Lalou Bize-Leroy. It has a slight but pleasant reduction on the nose that takes you immediately to Coche-Dury! There are fleeting glimpses of popcorn and even burnt caramel, but they are dominated by the enthralling mineralité on display. The palate is extremely well balanced and continues its Coche-like tendencies. There is stunning penetration here with lime zest and citrus peel forming the finish that has so much tension and precision. I cannot believe there is a Les Folatières '04 out there that could hold a torch to this. - Neal Martin

♥ The aromatic profile is more elegant still though not by much with pain grillé, straw and white flower aromas merging into rich, intense and mineral-laden flavors that are more concentrated yet still beautifully precise, culminating in huge length. This is perhaps the freshest effort to this point and the intensity alone is worth the price of admission, not to mention an almost pungent minerality. Don't miss! Outstanding