Pinson used his 2007 Chablis Mont-de-Milieu to “season” new barrels, as evidenced by the toasted hazelnuts, nutmeg, vanilla, and smoke that mingle on the nose with lemon and peach. I would have guessed this blind to be from the Cote d’Or. For all of its suggestion of richness up front, this proves to be quite tight and tart on the palate, finishing with hints of bitterness from char and fruit pits, but an impressive sense of grip. It might well be worth following for several years. Laurent Pinson operates out of a sophisticated cuverie built in 2003, and departs from the style of an earlier generation here by employing considerable amounts of young wood on his crus – ostensibly to protect fruit and guard against volatility to which wine in older barrels is prey. But sometimes – at least, with his rather tensile 2007s – I found the resultant taste of wood less than synergistic.Imported by Sussex Wine Merchants, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608-9644 and also a Charles Neal Selection, Richmond, CA; tel (415) 225-5144 (with various importers)