Aromas of pear, orange oil, white flowers and fresh pastry introduce the 2018 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie, a medium to full-bodied, racy and tightly wound wine that's a little introverted after a recent sulfur dioxide addition. I suspect it will be more extroverted by the time it reaches consumers.

The 2015 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroye has a lifted bouquet with orange blossom and nectarine aromas the gain intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with a saline entry, a crisp line of acidity with a touch of nutmeg and walnut on the finish.

The 2013 Chassagne-Montrachet la Maltroye 1er Cru has a slightly reduced nose that made it difficult to discern. The palate is well balanced but it sags in the middle and it finishes too simply for my liking. This was a perplexing showing.

The 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroye has an attractive bouquet with scents of lemon thyme and apple peelings. The palate is medium-bodied with pretty nectarine and peach skin notes, fine acidity with a delicate and very pretty finish. Fine. You may have heard of Pierre-Antoine Rovani. One of Burgundy’s most shy and retiring members, he was his usual taciturn self, uttering all but one or two words during my Sunday afternoon tasting of 2012s in Remoissenet’s 14th century cellars, just off the Beaune peripherique. You know the story here: the name reborn in 2005 when outside investors prompted a Damascene resurrection of what had fundamentally been an also-ran bottling operation, into a quality-driven concern and vinifying wines themselves. Their policy is to buy at premium in order to acquire the best fruit, except for the 2.5-hectare of vineyard that they own themselves. With general manager and former Louis Jadot president Bernard Repolt, winemaker Claudine Jobard and chef de culture Fred Le Prince (a wonderful name that sounds like a lost bassist from Funkadelic), this has been one of the region’s recent success stories. They recently purchased the cuverie at Chateau de Chorey to make the Bourgogne Rouge and Givry Village. They use “342s” as Pierre Antoine referred to them i.e. 342-litre barrels casks for vinifying most of their wines. They have a large portfolio of both domaine and negociant wines that I tasted at a leisurely pace on a Sunday afternoon. And I must say, I was impressed by their 2012s. Sure, not everything hits the spot with such a comprehensive and diverse array of wines, but the fact is that many crus showed very well. As Rovani mentioned, there is a gap in the market for affordable Burgundy, one that will surely expand as the top names become prohibitively expensive for mere mortals. That is where Remoissenet can fit in and having overhauled their reds, it sounds as if they will be working on ameliorating their whites in future years, not that they are anything to be ashamed of now. Hey, and you know what? Even Pierre-Antoine was beginning to lose his inhibition and comes out of his shell by the end of the tasting. Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392 6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292 5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312 8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291- 1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460. Also available through Avery’s Wine Merchants in Bristol (UK).

A nice contrast to the Macherelles, the 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet Maltroye is quite a bit brighter and more taut than its Chassagne sibling. There is an underlying salinity that gives the Maltroye its energy and focus. Floral notes add lift on the crystalline, articulate finish. This is a decidedly polished Chassagne. According to vineyard manager Fred Le Prince, the older vineyards and higher percentage of shot berries give the Maltroye much of its personality. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. I was very impressed with the 2010 whites I tasted at Remoissenet this year. While most of the top wines are terrific, personally I find just as much pleasure in the many delicious offerings from humbler appellations in this extensive range. Remoissenet purchases fruit and/or wines for many of their offerings. I would not be surprised if there is less competition for the fruit/wines from those less prestigious appellations, which makes it easier to source top quality raw materials. As always, Remoissenet strives for a style built on full phenolic ripeness and harvests that are on the late side relative to most estates. My favorite wines are those where the richness of the fruit is accompanied by complementary minerality and vibrancy. I also tasted a handful of reds from Remoissenet’s Cellar Collection. These are wines that have been cellared in Remoissenet’s cellars for several decades. Prior to being re-released, the wines are decanted to remove sediment, topped up and sealed with a new cork. Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392 6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292 5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312 8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291- 1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460