2010 Jean-Marc Brocard - Chablis Montee de Tonnerre 1er Cru
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Tasting notes
The 2010 Chablis Montee de Tonnerre is initially quite big and rich, but then finds its minerality on the mid-palate and finish. Lemon, white flowers, oyster shells and crushed rocks are some of the many nuances that flesh out in the glass. The 2010 is quite good, but I find myself wanting the sheer visceral thrill that the best wines from this site deliver. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. These 2011s and 2010s from the vast Brocard portfolio (which also includes Domaine Herve Azo) are quite representative of the respective years. The 2010s have excellent depth of fruit and acidity, while the 2011s are pretty, easygoing wines best suited to near-term drinking. In general terms, the Brocard wines tend to be fairly bold and up-front in style. Importers: Verity Wine Partners, New York, NY; tel. (212) 683-8763, Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500, Elite Wines, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 526-6383, Vanguard Wines, Columbus, OH; tel. (614) 291-3493, Tenzing Wine & Spirits, Chicago, IL; tel. (312) 237-4000
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Full yellow. Very ripe, deeply pitched aromas of smoke, flint and toast. Dense, bright and soil-inflected, with complex, lightly salty flavors of peach, stone, smoke and flint. Like the Mont de Milieu, this is very ripe, but the dense, saline finish shows excellent persistence. Still, I miss the high notes normally shown by the best examples from this outstanding premier cru vineyard. Julien Brocard noted that these biodynamically farmed vines "lost energy" due to the severe hail in 2007 and are still recovering.