2010 Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru 'Aux Beaux Bruns' 0,75l Denis Mortet

(60% new oak; 13% natural alcohol): Good medium red. Quite reduced on the nose. Suave but reduced on the palate, with flavors of strawberry and mocha dominated by smoky oak today. Fat, silky and sweet, but can't quite match the Gevrey premier crus for lift, definition or energy. This rocky site always produces ripe fruit, notes Mortet, and the pH can mount quickly. Finishes with substantial, slightly drying tannins.

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny Les Beaux Bruns caresses the palate with layers of silky red fruit and flowers. It is a supple, gracious wine that should drink well right out of the gate. Today the Beaux Bruns is slightly reduced, so we will have to wait and see to know for sure. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Arnaud Mortet is focused on making elegant, refined wines. In 2010 he sought to achieve that through gentle extraction and less use of new oak barrels, which is broadly the direction his winemaking is headed, notwithstanding the many particulars that present themselves each year. Mortet planned to age the 2010s fifteen months in barrel, then rack the wines into steel. Yields are of course down across the board, but that won’t be much of a surprise to readers given the vintage. Overall, the Mortet 2010s are striking for their beauty and transparency. The 2009 also showed brilliantly from bottle. I will report on those wines in the April issue. Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny Les Beaux Bruns caresses the palate with layers of silky red fruit and flowers. It is a supple, gracious wine that should drink well right out of the gate. Today the Beaux Bruns is slightly reduced, so we will have to wait and see to know for sure. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. ||Arnaud Mortet is focused on making elegant, refined wines. In 2010 he sought to achieve that through gentle extraction and less use of new oak barrels, which is broadly the direction his winemaking is headed, notwithstanding the many particulars that present themselves each year. Mortet planned to age the 2010s fifteen months in barrel, then rack the wines into steel. Yields are of course down across the board, but that won’t be much of a surprise to readers given the vintage. Overall, the Mortet 2010s are striking for their beauty and transparency. The 2009 also showed brilliantly from bottle. I will report on those wines in the April issue. Wine Advocate.February, 2012