The 2009 Chardonnay Grafin de la Tour is surprisingly bright for the year. Clean veins of vibrant minerality support a core of apricots, butter, passion fruit and spices. Expressive varietal notes continue to flesh out on the generous, inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. Villa Russiz appears to be in transition at the moment, after the departure of longtime winemaker Gianni Menotti over the summer. Hopefully things will settle down. The estate is run by a non-profit organization, and my feeling has long been that the potential of these vineyards in the heart of the Collio has yet to fully be realized.Importer: Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900