2010 Spring Mountain Elivette

100 years of Cabernet production. Highly parcellated large vineyard. Many underground springs. Owned by a Swiss industrialist. Much topaz in the ground. Old mountain. Always taken a middle ground in their style. On volcanic and sedimentary soils and virtually biodynamic. 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Cabernet Franc, 22 months in new French oak. Highly aromatic: pure cassis and blueberry together with a note of violets and a touch of something like incense but this may be the oak. Blueberry sweetness on the palate, relatively gentle on the palate but it has a tight freshness with a touch of mineral stoniness at the very end together with a meat sweetness. With time: much more fragrant and some ripe red fruit. Opened and improved in the glass. (JH)