Burgundy 2010 Vintage Report
When Burgundy is on form, it is hard for any other region in the world producing Pinot Noir or Chardonnay to compete. 2010 is one of those years. Tasting Burgundy 2010 is like falling in love all over again.
If you love mineral-slathered wines with plenty of terroir expression, where you can taste the land where the grapes come from, Burgundy 2010 will not disappoint. Taste Chablis, you have the clean taste of river stones; taste Charmes and it has all the joy of the Charmes vineyard, and so on, all along the Grand Routes des Vins. There is no mistaking these wines for any other region in the world.
Completely opposing the 2009 vintage, which was all about the flamboyant fruit, 2010 is a restrained and classical vintage in comparison. The common description used by winemakers up and down the Route des Grands Vins road was "belle fraicheur" or, a beautiful freshness. It is approachable now, but also has the capacity to age in the long-term, making these essential wines for a serious Burgundy cellar.
Why is 2010 so thrilling for the true Burgundy lover? Lower yields in 2010 and smaller berries created great concentration of fruit flavour in the grapes.
The white wines show excellent acidity and are on par with 2007, if not surpassing it. The added intensity of the fruit (from the smaller berries) gives an added depth. This is a superb year for Maconnais wines, where there is a lot of value to be found, as well as Meursault and Chablis.
The reds show a crystal-clear taste of the vineyard with high-definition minerality. Excellent balance of red fruits (wild strawberries and fresh strawberries) and black fruits (cassis and forest blackberry) are evident.
The best way to think about 2010 is the excellent freshness of the 2008 combined with intense fruit definition. It is difficult to pick a favourite in the Cote d'Or - Vosne-Romanee, Nuits-St-Georges, and Gevrey-Chambertin are particularly brilliant. Pommard is looking wonderful for the first time in years.
The only downside? Volumes are dramatically lower in 2010. On average, yields are down by 30%.
Buy Burgundy 2010 Wines (some wines are subject to allocation)
Download the full Burgundy 2010 offer as a PDF
Read all about the team's trip to taste the Burgundy 2010's on the blog
