2009 Auxey Duresses 1er Cru

Rather restrained nose, but bright and open-knit on the palate. Firm, leathery tannins suggest further ageing is advisable. (RH)

The 2009 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru shows quite a bit more stuffing and mid-palate richness than the villages, along with generous dark fruit and an intense personality at this level. The 1er Cru is a blend of Duresses and Bréterins. The fruit is picked on the same day and co-fermented.

The 2009 Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru shows quite a bit more stuffing and mid-palate richness than the villages, along with generous dark fruit and an intense personality at this level. The 1er Cru is a blend of Duresses and Breterins. The fruit is picked on the same day and co-fermented. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. Readers who want to experience the thrill of 2009 without spending a fortune should focus on Comte Armand’s Pommard 1er Cru, which is shaping up to be the one of the under the radar success stories of the vintage. Winemaker Benjamin Leroux is immensely gifted, and the work he is doing at Comte Armand is simply brilliant. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808, Veritas Imports, Beverly Hills, CA; tel. (310) 205-3803; Toepfer Imports LLC, CO; tel. (303) 818-7640