2010 Chambolle Musigny Combe d'Orveaux

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d’Orveau is pure sensuality. Racy red berries, freshly cut flowers, spices and mint burst from the glass in this energetic, beautifully delineated Chambolle. The cool, mineral-infused notes are nicely balanced by the suppleness of the fruit and the silkiness of the tannins. Everything is in the right place in this gorgeous Chambolle. Grivot’s parcel lies in the villages section of the vineyard. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. I was blown away by the wines I tasted with Etienne Grivot on what turned out to be one of the most thrilling visits of my fall trip. Readers should do whatever they can to latch onto a few bottles of these exquisite Burgundies. Grivot talked about a roller coaster vintage which was saved by 3-4 days of good weather. The estate lost fruit from 3,000 plants and yields were down 40% across the board because of the poor weather during the flowering. The most dramatic proof of the loss in production was seeing some of rooms in the cellar with far fewer barrels than is the norm. The domaine’s 2009s are equally exciting. I will have notes on those wines in the April issue. Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa CA; tel. (707) 299-2600

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d’Orveau is pure sensuality. Racy red berries, freshly cut flowers, spices and mint burst from the glass in this energetic, beautifully delineated Chambolle. The cool, mineral-infused notes are nicely balanced by the suppleness of the fruit and the silkiness of the tannins. Everything is in the right place in this gorgeous Chambolle. Grivot’s parcel lies in the villages section of the vineyard. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. Feb 2012, www.robertparker.com