2010 Romanee St Vivant

An exceptional wine. Deep crimson. Powerful, explosive nose with layers of undergrowth, treacle toffee, cordite and even a hint of Chartreuse. Fine tannins underneath all this in what seems like a very dangerous, edgy wine. Hugely exhibitionistic on the gloriously long finish. Already open aromatically and you could lap it up already, though it clearly has a long way to go. (JR)

The 2010 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru is spectacular, unfurling in the glass with a deep bouquet of wild red berries, potpourri, smoked duck and exotic spices. On the palate, it's full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with utterly suave structuring tannins and a superb line of acidity that lends the wine immense length and focus—in contrast to the broader, more expansive and gourmand Richebourg served alongside it. This is a real highlight of the 2010 portfolio and I suspect it is holding a great deal in reserve to be revealed over the coming decade and beyond.

The 2010 Romanée St. Vivant is one of the few wines that isn't showing the full breadth of its pedigree at this stage. All of the characteristic Romanée St. Vivant are present in the glass, but the elements aren't all quite put together post-bottling. The aromas and flavors are nicely articulated, and there is plenty of underlying richness, just not quite the magic I found when the wine was in barrel. It will be interesting to see how the 2010 develops over the coming years.