2010 Chassagne Montrachet Les Vergers

Colin’s 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers comes across as intensely perfumed and exotic in this vintage. White flowers, lychee, spices and lemon zest are some of the nuances that emerge from the glass. Despite the wine’s overt aromas and flavors, the mineral components are very much in evidence. The medium-bodied style shows the more refined side of the village. This is a fascinating and intriguing wine from Bruno Colin. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. Bruno Colin reported that in 2010 his yields were down 10-15%, but adds some of his oldest plots were hit even harder, and came in 25-30% lower than normal. Overall, this is a solid set of wines, with plenty of vintage and site-specific character. The Bourgogne, St. Aubin Le Charmois and Chassagne villages were bottled before the 2011 harvest, while the rest of the wines were bottled in March 2012. Importers: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 299-2600, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Oak is a bit obvious. These Bruno Colin 2010s are so far less impressive than the 2009s. Lots of acidity and delineation but pretty tough without real fruity core. (JR)

Pale lemon-yellow. Musky, slightly reduced aromas of pear and smoke; this only finished its malo in late March. Dense, spicy and quite dry, with an edge of lemony acidity keeping the fruit under wraps. A bit disassociated today and clearly in an awkward stage.