2010 Lucien Le Moine Corton-Renardes Grand Cru

The 2010 Corton Renardes opens with a gorgeous, expressive bouquet laced with super-ripe dark red berries, wild flowers and licorice. It is a vertical wine that fills out all the registers with multiple dimensions of flavor. Sweet, perfumed notes are the constant thread that links all of the elements together in this dazzling, pure Corton. This is a fabulous showing. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2035. It is always fascinating to settle in for a tasting with proprietor Mounir Saouma. With the exception of Jadot, I can't think of a single maison that draws across such a broad range of top vineyards. When taken together, the whites and reds provide insight to the performance of dozens of the finest sites in the region. Saouma is not much for comparisons when discussing 2010, saying quite simply, -2010 is 2010.- The vintage was not without some disappointments. Because of the miniscule yields, there is no 2010 Romanee St. Vivant or Richebourg. As always, these are some of the most unmanipulated wines being made in Burgundy. When I tasted the 2010s in November 2011, the wines had never been sulphured or racked. Saouma had just finished bottling his 2009s (a vintage many bottled on the early side) in October 2011! Importers: Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000, Atherton Imports, Menlo Park, CA; tel. (650) 328-6639

Good deep red. Raspberry, minerals and a whiff of game on the musky nose. Wonderfully sweet and palate-saturating, with stony minerality supporting the flavors of plum, violet and game. Gains in chewiness on the back end, finishing plush and long. Extremely promising, slightly wild Corton grand cru.