772 | Wine | Burgundy, 91 to 95, 2010

"Aromas of apple, lime and ginger. A step up in intensity and minerality from the premier crus; quite ripe and pliant but rather unforthcoming. Best today on the subtle, rising whiplash of a finish, which coats the palate with powdered stone. Very long and gripping wine: am I underestimating it today?"-Stephen Tanzer

"Subdued, very pure aromas of lemon peel, quinine and white flowers. Wonderfully silky on entry, then dense and rich in the middle, with terrific mineral and limey cut and strong but harmonious acidity. This conveys a powerful impression of dry extract and finishes saline, very long and aromatic. Beautifully balanced premier cru Chablis, but still a baby today."

"The 2010 Chablis Cuvee Massale is another striking wine graced with exquisite finesse and crystalline transparency. The old-vines Cuvee Massale is from a 4 hectare parcel planted with vines that are nearly 50 years old. It is very promising in this vintage."

"Bright, pale green. Subtle, delicate aromas of white peach, mint, crushed stone and chlorophyll. Less complex today than the Preuses but this is still an infant. All about white peach lifted by white pepper. Fine-grained, silky and utterly vibrant wine, delivering outstanding density and fullness without weight. Great slowly mounting finish promises much more to come."
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar - 95 pts

"The 2010 Chablis Les Clos is all about understatement and balance. White floral notes meld into white stone fruit in this utterly gracious Chablis. Clos can at times be fleeting and elusive, and there is certainly some of that in the 2010. Still, it is impossible to miss the wine’s textural finesse and sheer overall balance. I will not be surprised if the 2010 continues to get better in bottle."

"Rich tropical fruit, nectarine, orange blossom, spices and French oak burst from 2010 Chablis Bouguerots. Once again, the Bouguerots comes across as big and broad shouldered, with considerable intensity, richness and depth. This is a decidedly powerful, ripe wine that also shows significant oak influence from the 100% vinification and aging in oak."

"The 2010 Chablis Les Clos is rich, seamless and graced with exquisite purity. White flowers, mint, spices and jasmine are woven together beautifully in this expressive, layered Les Clos. Hints of ash, smoke and licorice linger on the expressive finish. I especially like the purity and finesse here."

"The 2010 Chablis Vaillons covers every corner of the palate with green apples, pears, white flowers and sweet spices. This is a big, powerful Vaillons with terrific balance and an unctuous, textured personality."

"The 2010 Nuits St. Georges Clos des Porrets Saint-Georges is the first wine in this lineup that shows the structure of the vintage. Freshly cut flowers, minerals, graphite and black cherries are woven into a textured fabric of notable class. I especially like its energy and drive. A precise, finely-chiseled finish rounds things out nicely."

"The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillons fleshes out beautifully in the glass with layers of expressive, textured fruit. This is one of the more open, forward wines in the lineup. It should drink nicely pretty much upon release. Yellow stone fruits, flowers and a hint of spice wraps around the soft, enveloping finish, where the minerality of the vintage emerges with pretty, finely-knit nuances."

"The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Pucelles is a totally complete wine. It brings together the expressive bouquet and minerality of Combettes with some of the expressive fruit of the Folatieres. Vivid and multi-dimensional in the glass, the Pucelles wraps around the palate with serious intensity. Citrus, white flowers and green pears linger on the highly nuanced, refined finish. Today, though, the 2010 is incredibly tight. Its pedigree is impossible to miss. Leflaive’s Pucelles is easily one of the highlights of the vintage."