2010 Lucien Le Moine Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains 1er Cru

The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Les Vaucrains emerges from the glass with endless layers of freshly cut flowers, rose petals, sweet red cherries and licorice. The 2010 is a weightless, gracious wine endowed with striking inner perfume and the silkiest, purest of tannins. This is a very Chambolle-like Vaucrains and a model of total finesse. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030. 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