2010 Beaune Clos des Couchereaux

Good full red. Cherry, raspberry, flowers and stony minerality on the nose, plus a whiff of licorice. Juicy, fine-grained and minerally, in a lighter, bright style. The wine's youthful energy gives definition to the middle palate. Finishes firmly tannic and persistent.

The 2010 Beaune Clos des Couchereaux wafts from the glass with sweet red cherries, flowers, mint and spices, all of which are woven together beautifully in a classy, medium-bodied style that is undeniably appealing. The higher altitude site gives this wine an airy quality that is absolutely gorgeous, yet there is an understated weight to the finish that is striking for the way it balances all of the elements in the glass. This is a gorgeous Beaune. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. I tasted an amazing range of 2010 reds at Jadot with long-term winemaker Jacques Lardiere and his successor Frederic Barnier. In order to make this large section of the report easier to read, I have broken up the wines into the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits. Lardiere and Barnier told me they were quite worried about the prospects for the harvest upon their return from summer vacations in August, but the year was saved by a perfect September. Yields are down 25-50% because of the frost and cold weather earlier in the year, but overall quality is very high. Lardiere and Barnier also noted that early on it appeared that there would be a wide gap in quality between the Cote de Beaune and the Cote de Nuits, but over time that gap narrowed to some extent. Still, there is little question the vintage was more challenging in the Cote de Beaune because of a rainier summer and overall higher precipitation throughout the year. Importer: Kobrand Corp., Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7756

Mid ruby. Sweet and easy and very flattering. Just a tad tarty and coffee grounds. Lots of tannin. Bit tough and angular. (JR)