2010 Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru

Fonteny, Les Corbeaux, Perrières. 60% whole bunch. 100% new oak. Very aromatic and fresh. Soaring perfume and very ripe blackberry flavours underneath. Very flattering though no sweetness. Pure intense Gevrey fruit which deserves a bit of time to expand. Super clean and fresh. (JR)

(from Fontenys, Corbeaux and La Perriere, all in the Mazis-Chambertin neighborhood; this and the rest of Dugat's crus are aging in all new barrels): Good deep red-ruby. Aromas of crushed blackberry, licorice, violet and pepper. Juicy and tight, with a firm edge (from the SO2?) to the flavors of black fruits, spices and mint. More refined than the Coeur du Roi, and quite spicy on the lingering aftertaste.

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru is flat-out gorgeous. The fruit tends towards the darker end of the spectrum, with shades of red cherries and berries. Deep floral and spiced notes develop in the glass, adding lift and brightness through to the energetic finish. This is totally refined, delicate and pure. I loved it for the purity and definition of the fruit. The 1er Cru is equal parts Fonteny, Les Corbeaux and Les Perrieres, vinified with 75% stems. The wine was aged in 100% new barrels, all of which it handles with uncommon grace. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035. Bernard Dugat began picking on September 21. The harvest took place over 6 days and yields came in at less than 25 hectoliters per hectare. Dugat told me that worked out to about 105 barrels for 10.5 hectares of vineyards! The malos proceeded at a very slow pace and the wines weren’t racked until September, except for the Mazoyeres, which had not yet been racked at the time of my November visit. Most of the wines were made with a high percentage of stems, as noted below. Importer: The Sorting Table, LLC, 1700 Second Street Suite 380 Napa, CA 94559 ; tel: 707-603-1466