2016 Faiveley Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cote d'Or, Burgundy

A difficult nose is presently composed by notes of reduction, sulfur and soft wood. Rich, full-bodied and powerful flavours are also blessed with an impressive amount of dry extract that coats the palate on the expressly dry but not really austere finale. Like the BBM, this too needs to develop better overall depth but the underlying material does appear to be on hand for that to occur. Drink 2026+.

Bright yellow. Candied lime, underripe pineapple and white peach on the nose, complicated by notes of bergamot and crushed stone. Plush and intense but youthfully reserved, conveying savory crushed-stone minerality; little oak showing despite the fact that nearly 50% was new. The almost painful rising back end features an element of medicinal herbs. A superb wine without any excess weight but still a bit disjointed. (The Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet were just starting their malolactic fermentations at the time of my visit.)