The plump, ample, lush 2001 Beaune Cras displays oak-imbued smoky minerals in its aromatics. Supple, velvety layers of poached pears and ripe apples are found in its fruit-forward, creamy-textured, medium-bodied character. Drink this friendly wine over the next 2-3 years. Maison Louis Latour appears to have faired significantly better than many of its fellow negociants in 2001. "We are very surprised, these were hugely acidic prior to malolactic fermentation but really good afterwards," said Jean-Pierre Jobard, Latour's winemaker. His boss, this firm's director, Louis-Fabrice Latour, added that "we've come to love the 2001 whites with time, they keep improving during elevage and we find that there is, in this vintage, a large step in quality between the village AOC wines and the premier crus." Maison Louis Latour has a different importer in each state.