2010 Chambolle Musigny

Bright, dark red. Aromas of red berries, orange peel, peony and white pepper. Juicy and sweet but brisk, with an edge of malic acidity remaining. With a bit less density than the Clos Solon this intense but very young wine comes across as a bit tart today.

Bright crimson. Very pretty and fruity and super fresh. Round and racy and very precise. Not for the very long term but a lovely harbinger of the vintage. Nice light bitter hint on the end gives it zest. (JR)

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny is sexy, juicy and radiant. Layers of expressive, supple red berries, flowers, licorice and spices flow across the palate in this elegant Chambolle. At present the wine is a bit reduced, but that is just a function of its never having been racked. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. The biggest news at Domaine Fourrier is Jean-Marie Fourrier’s decision to launch a small negociant operation to augment his estate wines. Readers can look forward to new bottlings from the 1er Cru Aux Exchanges in Chambolle-Musigny and two new Grand Cru wines from Clos de Vougeot and Echezeaux, all of which will debut with the 2011 vintage. As for 2010, Fourrier told me he is down 40% across the board in terms of yields. The cold weather during the flowering produced 100% millerandage (shot berries), which Fourrier described as pea-sized grapes. While that is not good for quantity, it has certainly turned out great for quality. Readers who want to learn more about Fourrier’s thoughts on the vintage and approach to vinification might want to check out my video interview on www.erobertparker.com. As a quick note, none of the 2010s had been racked at the time of my visit in early December 2011. I have kept scores a bit wider than normal in the few cases where the wines were a touch reduced. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990