2018 St Aubin 1er Cru La Chateniere

55-year-old vines. One of the first sectors of St-Aubin to be planted with Chardonnay instead of Pinot. This is unusual in St-Aubin because it is steep and south-west facing, very calcareous and has very little wind. In tank since August, settling for bottling in December, as are all his Pernands and all the St-Aubins. Tank sample. More chalk and flint here but tangled up with creamy and mealy gentleness, even a little savoury. Chewy but smooth and savoury on the palate too, with a lot of texture so that the core of citrus is cloaked by the structure. Lightly smoky. (JH)