Lemon zest, white peach, toasted hazelnut, cilantro, and a gunflint-like pungency in the nose of Brocard’s 2007 Chablis Montee de Tonnerre lead to a somewhat sweet-sour palate impression that might reflect the degree to which this site was damaged by hail. I imagine a hypothetical blend of just-ripe Sauvignon and Meursault. A smoky bite akin to Szechuan pepper combines with citrus oil for a palate-staining, but both austere and aggressive finish that lacks primary juiciness or polish. I wouldn’t bet on holding this for long, let alone speculate on its knitting or smoothing out, and it certainly represents a disappointment relative to recent vintages, That said, it exhibits a striking, if hail-affected, personality and could prove fascinating short-term if paired with ingenuity. Enologist Nadine Gublin (also of Domaine Jacques Prieur) is now heading the team here, although I can’t claim that any change in style was noticeable to me after only one vintage, a vintage that certainly inherently contributed to the less than forthcoming nature of many of these wines, as well as to greater irregularity in quality than those of 2006. I found myself less satisfied with this year’s grand cru bottlings as a group – after being puzzled by how several of the 2006s showed at a comparable stage, too – than I was with those of ostensibly lesser pedigree. A majority of the acreage controlled by Brocard is now being farmed biodynamically, and Julien Brocard suggests he may soon set some sort of record for surface area under such a regimen. Imported by: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400