2010 Chambolle Musigny Beaux Bruns

Bright medium red. Inviting floral aromas of red cherry, raspberry, licorice and bitter chocolate; showing the "smiley face" of the year, notes Barthod. Sweet, dense, ripe and strong, with harmonious acidity and a solid mineral underpinning giving the wine very good energy. Sappy black cherry fruit carries through on the vibrant finish, which features dusty tannins and excellent length. An excellent vintage for this premier cru.

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny Les Beaux-Bruns is stellar in this vintage. There is an airiness and inner perfume that gives the 2010 a measure of elegance that is sometimes missing in this wine, given its tendency to be on the big side. All of the elements are beautifully balanced on the suave mid-palate and dark, inviting finish. The sensual side of Chambolle comes through in spades. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028. This is a knock-out set of wines from Ghislaine Barthod. Yields were, of course, down significantly for the same reasons that affected every grower. The wines possess wonderful clarity and verve throughout the range. I will report on the 2009s from bottle in the April issue. For now, let me say both the 2009s and 2010s are fabulous. Readers who can find them should absolutely not hesitate. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990