The 2012 Corton-Charlemagne from Bouchard Père & Fils had improved since I last tasted it in 2012. Poured from magnum, it has a lovely mineral-rich, vanilla pod scented bouquet that has developed more complexity in recent months. The palate is just as poised, perhaps even more so, its richness effortlessly offset by that razor-sharp line of acidity and the poise on the oyster shell-tinged finish. I can see this continuing to improve over the next few years. Tasted at the Bouchard dinner at La Gavroche.

(aging in 15% new oak): Bright pale yellow. Gingery oak currently dominates the nose, which comes across today as a bit exotic. Quite disjointed in the mouth, with apple and resiny spice flavors firmed on the finish by underlying minerality. But the strong spicy oak quality also gives a hint of dryness to the aftertaste. Bouchard makes this wine from four parcels picked on different dates at different ripeness levels, notes Prost, "and as a result it's always six months behind the Montrachet in the early going." Obviously quite backward today, but is it as pristine as the Chevalier-Montrachet and Montrachet cuvees? For the moment, I'll give this the benefit of some doubt, as Bouchard's Corton-Charlemagne has been a consistently superb wine over the past decade.