I purchased a case of the 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes Ruchottes on release and opened my first bottle this fall. At age nine, the wine is still amazingly youthful and structured, more than fulfilling all the promise I saw in it from barrel. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, crisp Anjou pear, white flowers, fresh bread, hazelnuts and almonds, it's full-bodied, deep and tightly wound, with a satiny attack that segues into an immensely concentrated mid-palate. Built around an abundance of chalky dry extract and a racy spine of acidity, the vintage's low yields translate to intensity rather than the fat that can make many producers' 2012s easy to identify in a blind tasting. It's a terrific wine that embarrasses a lot of grander appellations in this vintage, and readers with bottles that have been stored in optimal conditions should plan on waiting another five years before approaching this.