2010 Chassagne Montrachet Grandes Ruchottes

The result of painfully low yields, Moreau’s 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet Grand Ruchottes flows from the glass with stunning depth and precision. This is another vivid, totally alive Burgundy endowed with superb purity, class and delineation. Stylistically it tends towards the richer end of the spectrum, as it bears more than a passing resemblance to a red wine in its weight and overall palate sensation. Hints of tropical fruit leave a lasting impression on the haunting finish. Yields were down 50% in 2010, but for that sacrifice, Moreau has been rewarded with an absolutely fabulous wine. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. Domaine Bernard Moreau is quite possibly the single finest under the radar grower in Burgundy today. There are many more famous names in the Cote de Beaune, some of them in Chassagne itself, but it is here, in this small, family run domaine where many of the most elegant and harmonious wines of the village are found. Bernard Moreau’s son, Alex, told me yields were down from 10% for the villages to as much as 50% for the Grand Ruchottes. Moreau brought in his fruit starting on September 20th and reported a high incidence of shot berries and berries with very little juice. The wines spent 12 months in oak, with no racking, and were then moved into oak with their fine lees for another six months. Reliance on natural yeasts and a cold cellar ensure a gradual elevage that is one of the reasons these wines remain so vibrant and full of life. Importer: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1461