Dramatic and expressive, the 2018 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru exhibits aromas of orange rind, peach, honeyed pears and marzipan. Full-bodied, supple and textural, it's an enveloping but youthfully structured wine that will reward at least a couple of years of bottle age. Céline Gagnard told me that this site handled the hot conditions well.

The 2018 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is quite closed on the nose at the moment. The new oak (around 40%) is nicely integrated but it clearly needs time. Eventually, faint scents of crushed pebble, grilled hazelnut and pressed white flowers begin to emerge. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. This is a concentrated Criots, underpinned by impressive tension, with a spicy, feisty finish. Good persistence here; hopefully it will muster a little more complexity with bottle age.