"As is his usual practice, Laurent Ponsot was one of the last growers to begin picking reporting that he began on ""September 29th. We had some oidium but really not too much as we treated often and I have an extremely competent team. We did do some sorting but it was really only because of the hail, not for rot. We had yields in the 30 hl/ha range, which is higher than usual for us but low for the vintage. As is my custom, I rarely taste the wines for the first 6 months after they go into barrel and when I did, I was shocked as I found them better than the '02s were at the same point in time. I have fallen in love with this vintage as it's both very pinot and très terroir. The malos were very long and slow and I have not racked them since the malos finished as I want the wines to feed off the fine lees."" Ponsot's 04's are among the stars of the vintage as he has crafted an extremely strong set of wines and while one expects the Clos de la Roche and Clos St. Denis to be outstanding, this is perhaps the best Chapelle I have seen in many vintages. As to the domaine's '03s, several of them have turned out better than I originally previewed, in particular the Griotte, which is flat out terrific. (Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL and Atherton Wine Imports, Atherton, CA; Morris & Verdin, Goedhuis & Co., Ballantynes, Lay and Wheeler and Rare & Fine Wine Co., all UK). Tasting note: This is noticeably riper with black fruit, spiced plum and hints of dry porto. The big and robust flavors are round, rich and intense with a very curious cigar ash and menthol character and while there is genuinely impressive concentration and excellent power, the balance is not what it usually is. In sum, while this is a perfectly good if particular effort that will be especially long-lived, the Griotte is the star of the show in 2003." For purchases reaching HK$1,500, delivery and service charges will be waived for any address on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories as well as self-pick orders.