J. C. Pichot Vouvray 2008

Shows all the complexity you expect from a sweet wine of this age, with burnished leather, lemon cream, orange peel, marzipan, green tea and almond flavors. Long and lush, with layers of papaya and mango emerging on the finish. Seamless. Gorgeous. A re-release for this wine, which was not rated previously. Drink now through 2005.

Off-dry and flattering, with tasty quince, fig and pear flavors backed by a lilting floral note on the lively finish. Drink now through 2012.

The 2002 Vouvray bursts from the glass with profound mineral, white flower, spice, and candied pear aromas. Light to medium-bodied, it is pure, juicy, tangy, and satin-textured. This off-dry wine (the sweetness is barely noticeable) offers flavors reminiscent of almond candy drenched in sweet lemon juice. In addition, its finish is long, supple, and flavorful. Projected maturity: now-2010.

This vineyard, situated on the premiers coteaux of Vouvray, offers low yields in order to maintain its high intensity of flavor. This fresh, floral Chenin Blanc is rich, slightly dry, pure and concentrated. It has the perfect crispness to accent seafood dishes or to keep you quenched on a warm spring night.

Reticent on the nose, but lush and bold on the palate, with pear, spice, melon and fig flavors. Juicy finish brings you back for more. Delicious. Drink now through 2005.

A lean, minerally style, with fig, green almond, orange blossom and mineral notes that stay nicely focused through the lithe finish. Drink now through 2009.

As a student of wine, it is fascinating to see how different regions, terroirs, varietals, and producers coped with the scalding temperatures and drought that characterized 2003. Cotton candy and white flowers make up the aromatic profile of Jean-Claude Pichot's Vouvray. Initially, it comes across as pasty sweet on the palate, displaying over-ripe white fruit as well as herbal tea flavors amidst notes of candied almonds, yet with air its underlying minerality comes to the fore. Medium-bodied and silky-textured, it has a somewhat short finish. Readers willing to wait a year or two will enjoy this fine value more than those who open it now. Drink it between 2006 and 2009.