2010 Domaine Étienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne 1er Cru

The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Garenne flows across the palate with creamy, generous fruit. The Garenne is at first quite overt, yet also restrained in its medium-bodied personality. Hints of flowers, vanillin and spices mark a finish that turns increasingly ethereal and elusive as reductive notes become more apparent. Anticipated maturity: 2012+. I have to admit I was a bit perplexed by these 2010s from Sauzet. A number of wines were massively reduced and/or heavily sulfured to a degree I did not encounter at any other property I visited. The best selections in the lineup are quite strong, which suggests some of those elements may dissipate over time as the wines integrate, but at the same time, I can only report what is in the glass, and the reality is that some of the wines in this lineup are very awkward at this stage. I suggest readers taste the Sauzet 2010s before making any major commitments. The 2010 harvest started on September 17th. Yields were closer to normal in the village wines, but down by as much as 35% in the premier and grand crus. The wines spent 12 months in oak, 25-35% new for the premier crus, and 35% new for the grand crus, followed by six months in tank. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

(at the end of its malo; cropped at a "normal" 47 hectoliters per hectare): Bright pale yellow. Nose dominated by crystallized lemon peel and rocky minerality. Broad, chewy and dry, showing a saline quality and a hint of banana. Rich in texture but not a fruity style.

The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Garenne flows across the palate with creamy, generous fruit. The Garenne is at first quite overt, yet also restrained in its medium-bodied personality. Hints of flowers, vanillin and spices mark a finish that turns increasingly ethereal and elusive as reductive notes become more apparent. Anticipated maturity: 2012+. ||I have to admit I was a bit perplexed by these 2010s from Sauzet. A number of wines were massively reduced and/or heavily sulfured to a degree I did not encounter at any other property I visited. The best selections in the lineup are quite strong, which suggests some of those elements may dissipate over time as the wines integrate, but at the same time, I can only report what is in the glass, and the reality is that some of the wines in this lineup are very awkward at this stage. I suggest readers taste the Sauzet 2010s before making any major commitments. The 2010 harvest started on September 17th. Yields were closer to normal in the village wines, but down by as much as 35% in the premier and grand crus. The wines spent 12 months in oak, 25-35% new for the premier crus, and 35% new for the grand crus, followed by six months in tank. eRobertParker.com.August, 2012