2010 Gevrey Chambertin Clos du Fonteny Monopole

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny is flat-out beautiful. Striking, well-articulated aromatics lead to sensual layers of fruit in this totally finessed, elegant Gevrey. Deep, spiced notes add complexity on the finish. The Clos du Fonteny is simply dazzling from the very first taste. Hints of Chambolle-like perfume linger in the empty glass. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030. This is a fabulous set of wines from Bruno Clair and his long-time oenologist Philippe Brun. The harvest started on September 25. Yields were 22-30 hectoliters per hectare, which is to say a good 10% less than 2003, a torrid vintage marked by tiny yields. Clair describes the fruit as healthy, with no botrytis and soft tannins from the late harvest. The 2010s were 100% destemmed. New oak ranged from 25% for the villages to 50% for the Grand Crus, except for the Marsannays, which saw very little new oak. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808, Fine Vines, Melrose Park, IL; tel. (708) 343-6702, The Source, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 621-6151

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos du Fonteny is flat-out beautiful. Striking, well-articulated aromatics lead to sensual layers of fruit in this totally finessed, elegant Gevrey. Deep, spiced notes add complexity on the finish. The Clos du Fonteny is simply dazzling from the very first taste. Hints of Chambolle-like perfume linger in the empty glass. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030. ||This is a fabulous set of wines from Bruno Clair and his long-time oenologist Philippe Brun. The harvest started on September 25. Yields were 22-30 hectoliters per hectare, which is to say a good 10% less than 2003, a torrid vintage marked by tiny yields. Clair describes the fruit as healthy, with no botrytis and soft tannins from the late harvest. The 2010s were 100% destemmed. New oak ranged from 25% for the villages to 50% for the Grand Crus, except for the Marsannays, which saw very little new oak.||A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808, Fine Vines, Melrose Park, IL; tel. (708) 343-6702, The Source, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 621-6151 Wine Advocate.February, 2012