2010 Chablis, Mont-de-Milieu, 1er Cru, Domaine Pinson Frères, Burgundy

2010 Chablis, Mont-de-Milieu, 1er Cru, Domaine Pinson Frères, Burgundy

Product: 20108009551
 
2010 Chablis, Mont-de-Milieu, 1er Cru, Domaine Pinson Frères, Burgundy

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Description

2010 is a cracking chablis vintage, a step above even the much acclaimed, rich 2009 and crisp 2008 vintages. Indeed, Laurent Pinson, who made this classy, superior premier cru the flagship of its ilk in his stable, thinks 2010 will be the longest lasting of the trio, as do I. So either enjoy the tart, zingy, intense minerally, fruit of this fantastic, steelyy chablis now, partly matured in barrel and partly in stainless steel, with fresh crab,  or a dozen oysters. Or preferably, put it away until 2015 for the acidity to soften and the wine to flesh out, yielding a richer, fatter, more verdant but still mouthwatering chablis experience.
(Jane MacQuitty - 50 Best Whites For Winter - (The Times - 24-Nov-2012)

The flagship wine of the Pinson Premiers Crus this has much more density of fruit on the palate but you have to wait for it. There is a touch of yellow fruit up front and a hint of licorice behind, but it is the overall effect of density, harmony and typicity which really counts.
(Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director)

Laurent Pinson thinks 2010 will be the longest lasting in the recent succession of successful vintages in Chablis, combining the intensity of 2009 with the invigorating acidity of the previous year. Though volume is down as for everybody, prices remain stable – meaning that this excellent address offers superb value. The Premier and Grand Cru wines are a blend of barrel and stainless steel maturation, though the wood component never dominates the wine.

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Critics reviews

Burghound93/100
This is also mildly exotic with spiced orchard fruit and oyster shell nuances complementing well the pure, citrus-inflected and powerful medium-bodied flavors that ooze a fine dry extract that confers a seductive texture to the serious, concentrated and impeccably well-balanced finish. This is chiseled like the La Forêt and the explosive finish is a knockout. One to strongly consider.
Burghound, Sep 10 2012 Read more
Jane MacQuitty
2010 is a cracking chablis vintage, a step above even the much acclaimed, rich 2009 and crisp 2008 vintages. Indeed, Laurent Pinson, who made this classy, superior premier cru the flagship of its ilk in his stable, thinks 2010 will be the longest lasting of the trio, as do I. So either enjoy the tart, zingy, intense minerally, fruit of this fantastic, steelyy chablis now, partly matured in barrel and partly in stainless steel, with fresh crab,  or a dozen oysters. Or preferably, put it away until 2015 for the acidity to soften and the wine to flesh out, yielding a richer, fatter, more verdant but still mouthwatering chablis experience.
Jane MacQuitty, The Times, November 2012 Read more
Stephen Tanzer91/100
Bright lemon-yellow color. Inviting aromas of orange, lemon and minerals. Seamless and bright, with very good energy and high-toned lift to the fruit-driven flavors of pineapple, orange and peach. This juicy, nicely saline wine leaves the taste buds quivering on the long, rising finish. Plenty of personality here. This wine has turned out very well.
Stephen Tanzer Read more
Wine Gang92/100
Minerality is the watch word on the nose here, together with a faint whiff of seashells. The palate has the breaditch you'd expected from a premier cru Chablis , nuttiness in flavour as well as texture , and then pepped up confident but restrained  lemon fruit, excellent acidity and a fine searing mineral blackbone to finish. It doesn't get much more classic than this, and would show just as well, if not better , in another 5 years' time
The Wine Gang, October 2012 Read more

About this WINE

Domaine Pinson

Domaine Pinson

The Pinson family have been growing grapes and making wine since 1640. They were among the first in Chablis to bottle their wines for public sale, in the 1880s. By 2009, the area under vine had grown to about 14 hectares, with holdings in Grand Cru, Premier Cru and village-level Chablis vineyards. The wines are made in the classic Chablis style while expressing the distinctive character of each terroir.

Domaine Pinson Frères has a fine range of vineyard sites, including four parcels in the Grand Cru Les Clos from which they make two different cuvées, and which allows them to combine the best features of the site.

The frères in the name are brothers Laurent and Christophe Pinson. Laurent's daughter Charlène has been winemaker here 2008, arriving with a degree in viticulture-and-winemaking from Beaune, and experience working in the Rhône. She has retained the traditions that have served the domaine well, using small amounts of new oak and mostly stainless steel, and has also introduced improvements in the cuverie, such as smaller tanks for more precise blending.

The domaine’s 14 hectares include holdings in Grand Cru (Les Clos), Premier Cru (Forêts, Fourchaume, Vaillons, Mont de Milieu, Montmains and Vaugiraut) and about two hectares of village Chablis. The estate’s plots on the left bank of the Serein River have Kimmeridgian soils rich in marine calcium and marl. On the right bank, soils are rich in calcium but with more clay, favouring a slightly richer style of wine. No weedkillers or insecticides are used, and yields are strictly controlled.

The Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines are fermented in 10-20% new oak, with the balance in stainless steel, and matured in older oak barrels. The village-level Chablis is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel.

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Chablis Premier Cru

Chablis Premier Cru

Chablis Premiers Crus are stylish, minerally wines which, typically, are less intense than the Grand Crus but finer and longer-lasting than basic Chablis. They are highly underrated with the better examples outclassing many a good village white Burgundy.

The vineyards cover 750 hectares, scattered across 15 communes on isolated slopes with good exposure. There are 17 principal Premiers Crus but in total 79 vineyards are eligible, with most of the lesser-known ones using a more familiar umbrella name on their label. The best flank the Grands Crus on the north bank of the River Serein, like Montée de Tonnerre (probably the best of all), Fourchaume and Mont de Milieu.

Those just south of Chablis, like Vaillons, Montmains (especially Les Forêts) and Côte de Léchet are also good. With the vineyard area having doubled since the 1970s, quality varies enormously so, as ever, the producer is key.

Styles also vary, with some maturing and fermenting in stainless steel for a purer, more minerally style, while others age and sometimes even ferment their wines in oak for extra complexity.  The best examples reach their apogee at eight to 10 years, but are normally enjoyed long before then.

Recommended producers: Jean-Claude BessinBillaud-SimonSéguinot-BordetJ.-P. & Benoit DroinDuplessisDefaix

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Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.

Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.

It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.

Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.

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