There is enough reduction present to mask the fruit but not the wisps of citrus that manage to escape the reductive funk. Otherwise there is excellent concentration to the muscular and robust big-bodied flavors that also coat the palate with dry extract on the serious and wonderfully persistent finish. This too is less refined than usual but it is certainly impressive and in particular I like the complexity.

The 2016 Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru les Vergers, cropped at 13 hectoliters per hectare, has a much more expressive and interesting bouquet compared to the Clos des Murées with lemon curd, spice and orange blossom that bursts from the glass. The palate is well balanced with good density and weight, the acidity well judged with a vibrant, almond-tinged finish that lingers in the mouth. Excellent—one of the finest from Fontaine-Gagnard this year and up there with their 2014.- NM

Pale yellow. Subdued aromas of lemon, lime and menthol, plus a whiff of white pepper. At once pliant and tightly wound, with an element of saline minerality energizing the middle palate. Classically dry, juicy wine with good intensity--and nicely balanced for a severely frosted site (the estate lost two-thirds of its normal Vergers production in 2016). The slightly peppery quality carries through the wine. Finishes firm and persistent, with an element of tartness. Still, this wine is sexier and fruitier in the early going than the Clos Saint-Jean, showing harmonious acidity, and it should be accessible earlier. -- Stephen Tanzer