The Boillot 2007 Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne exhibits pungency and bitterness of grapefruit zest, lemon pip, peach kernel, and toasted nuts. There is plenty of acidity here, but it manifests itself in a slightly tart manner. The wine’s silken texture and sheer sense of extract manage to restrain its bitter and sharp elements, and there is certainly a lot of energy and material here that might well be more expressive and winsome in 12-18 months. It could also have been going through a period of shut-down or orneriness precisely when I tasted it. Jean-Marc Boillot is now operating out of a re-modeled cellar and with a sophisticated new bottling line. His early harvest date in 2006 had been explicable on any number of levels, not least his personal preference for refreshment and minerality (as reflected in his love of classic – i.e., the presently endangered sort of – dry Alsace Riesling). But Boillot picked early in 2007, too – on August 28, no less, and for only 5 days – again citing his desire to retain acidity, and adding that encroaching botrytis was also a concern. “I think my 2007s will evolve a bit like 2004,” he predicts, “which gained volume in their elevage and in bottle and are proportional, not massive” making clear that both collections reflect his ideals. But he was clearly out to assist this process by having been strict about settling his musts, but then “done lots of batonnage.” Potential alcohols at harvest were in the low 12s and even after chaptalization, none of the finished wines reach 13%. Importers: A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet; fax 011- 333-80-24-29-70 and Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802