From a rocky, thinly-soiled spot in the “true” Charmes (rather than the sometimes equally grand but distinctive Mazoyeres that can also be sold as “Charmes”), the Geantet-Pansiot 2005 Charmes Chambertin delivers a lovely meld of bright cherry, beef marrow, cocoa powder, and chalk. A typically sleek, polished, long-lined performance for this appellation at its best, this isn’t a wine with lots of nooks and crannies. There is a superb sweetness and clarity of finishing fruit along with a vibrant if hard to describe mineral note. There could scarcely be a more stark contrast in microclimate or vinous character between this wine and the Poissenot. Vincent Geantet as usual bottled well before year’s end, and his wines seemed to be having a particularly expressive, fruit-filled day when I tasted. Interestingly, much as he bottles all of his wines together, so, Geantet’s barrel regimen is the same regardless of appellation: one-third each of new, one-year and two-year wood. He prolonged the pre-fermentative maceration to eight days, which seems to have enhanced the brightness of fruit exhibited by these wines. I must say I did not come prepared for quite such an impressive collection as that which Geantet delivered. Importer: Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722 9228