2010 Chambolle Musigny Les Gruenchers

Bright crimson. Lighter nose than many of his wines. Bright fruit and some real juicy fruit on the palate. Wait for a little more fat? (JR)

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny Les Gruenchers boasts a highly expressive bouquet redolent of sweet red berries, flowers, tar and incense. There is an exotic quality to the Gruenchers that is immensely appealing. Layers of fruit build towards the textured, enveloping finish graced with a last burst of explosiveness. This is impressive juice. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. The biggest news at Domaine Fourrier is Jean-Marie Fourrier’s decision to launch a small negociant operation to augment his estate wines. Readers can look forward to new bottlings from the 1er Cru Aux Exchanges in Chambolle-Musigny and two new Grand Cru wines from Clos de Vougeot and Echezeaux, all of which will debut with the 2011 vintage. As for 2010, Fourrier told me he is down 40% across the board in terms of yields. The cold weather during the flowering produced 100% millerandage (shot berries), which Fourrier described as pea-sized grapes. While that is not good for quantity, it has certainly turned out great for quality. Readers who want to learn more about Fourrier’s thoughts on the vintage and approach to vinification might want to check out my video interview on www.erobertparker.com. As a quick note, none of the 2010s had been racked at the time of my visit in early December 2011. I have kept scores a bit wider than normal in the few cases where the wines were a touch reduced. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990