2010 Puligny Montrachet Champs Gains

Apricots, peaches, smoke and crushed rocks are some of the many nuances that emerge from Carillon’s 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Champ Gains. Veins of underlying minerality give the Champ Gains its energy but also serve to balance the fruit beautifully. This is one of Carillon’s more overt, expansive wines. A crescendo of aromas and flavors builds to the enveloping, seductive finish. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the Champs Gains is yet another standout in a range full of frankly great wines. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. These 2010s are the first wines Francois Carillon has made from start to finish on his own. Based on the wines I tasted, it looks like Francois’s wines are a little silkier than his brother Jacques’s wines. I also tasted the 2011s, which are shaping up beautifully. As of 2011, the range will include two new premier crus from Chassagne-Montrachet: Clos St. Jean and Chenevottes, great news for fans of this ‘new’ domaine. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802