2010 Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs

Roederer's 2010 Blanc de Blancs is already showing very well, wafting from the glass with a classy bouquet of wheat toast, freshly baked bread, green apple, tangerine and almond paste. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and expansive, with a pinpoint mousse, succulent acids, excellent depth at the core and a long, elegantly chalky finish. The 2010 saw five years sur lattes and nine grams per liter dosage. Purists will want to give it another couple of years on the cork to reveal all its incipient complexity, but it is already difficult to resist.

An overachiever in this range, the 2010 Brut Blanc de Blancs is terrific. Green apple, mint, white flowers and mineral-driven notes give the 2010 freshness vivacity and lift. The Blanc de Blancs is one of the hidden gems in the Roederer lineup and does not seem to get much attention. That is a shame, as it is a first class wine all the way.

2010 Brut Blanc de Blancs is sure to put a smile on readers' faces. Bright and expressive, yet with lovely depth, the 2010 delivers fabulous Chardonnay character, with soft edges and expressive toasty notes that will make it easy to drink upon release. Lemon confit, brioche, smoke, mint, apricot and chamomile are some of the notes that flesh out on the creamy, inviting finish. The 2010 is delicate, but not at all austere, especially for a young wine.