There are two barrels of the 2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Demoiselles, another rare appellation from Colin. Offering up aromas of mandarin, buttered apples, spices and beeswax, the wine is medium to full-bodied, rich and textural with good mid-palate volume, nice concentration and a lavish but nicely defined finish. Despite its gourmand personality it retains excellent freshness. As readers will know, Les Demoiselles is part of Le Cailleret, touching Le Montrachet itself.

The 2016 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru les Demoiselles was half the normal harvest this vintage. It has a light bouquet of apple blossom and freshly sliced pear aromas, tightly knit and needing a tad more vigor and terroir expression to develop during the remainder of its élevage. The palate is taut and fresh with candied orange peel and hints of apricot on the entry; a fine bead of acidity with good salinité on the finish. This is one of those samples that gets better as it goes along, so my score reflects my optimism given this is afforded 2 or 3 years in bottle.

The 2014 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru les Demoiselles has a tightly wound, granitic bouquet that feels a little tight-lipped at the moment, though it displays fine precision and I feel will ultimately turn out to be quite elegant. The palate is crisp and fresh with lime and green apple, with just a hint of white peach building in the glass and gently fanning out on its composed and satisfying finish. This is a superb Puligny from Philippe Colin. Recommended.

The 2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru les Demoiselles, which is aged entirely in new oak, has a flattering, brioche-tinged bouquet that opens nicely in the glass, although I would like to see more mineralité come through given the vineyard. The palate is rounded and unashamedly modern in style. At the moment, as you would expect, there is plenty of new oak, but it is nicely in sync with the fruit. It needs 3-4 years to fully absorb the wood and then it will show its true colors.

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2012 tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Demoiselle from Philippe Colin has a slightly tropical bouquet, quite creamy compared to Bouzereau’s Caillerets 2012, although there is good substance underneath to soak it up. The palate is rich on the entry, plenty of new oak here lending it a creamy, vanilla-laced veneer that dominates the finish. There is a touch of burnt toffee lingering on the aftertaste that detract from terroir expression. I have tasted better wines from the Domaine in this vintage.