2010 St Véran, Côte-Rôtie, Bret Bros

The discreet nose of this St Véran hints at the power to follow. There is very intense fruit on the palate, with concentration going right to the back. White flowers and stone fruit aromatics begin to emerge too before a fine long finish that is very impressive.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

The three Bret Brothers are now presiding over an expanded cellar at their home base, Domaine de la Soufrandière, though this development is intended to give them better working facilities rather than because they want to grow the business dramatically. It is a particularly small crop this year as a result of some hail damage as well as the poor flowering experienced elsewhere. Despite this, the wines are exactly what the Bret’s like to produce – pure and crystal clear, with intensity more than weight.

Bret Bros.

2010 St. Véran La Côte Rôtie: Even aggressive swirling doesn’t liberate much in the way of a nose save for a hint of muscat. Otherwise, there is good verve to the rich, pure and admirably intense flavors that exhibit fine detail and plenty of punch on the balanced and lingering finish. An understated wine of style and grace but clearly one that will need a year or so to find its center.

Brothers Jean-Guillaume and Jean-Philippe Bret told me that 2010 was a “painful vintage simply because the losses from hail that fell on the 12th of July were devastating. We lost fully 50% of the crop in white and 100% of it in red. In our gamay vines, and the damage to the wood was sufficient that it may very well have an impact on the 2011 crop as well.

2010 produced very concentrated wines and are largely classic in style though the northern part of the Mâconnais saw a lot of noble rot which of course imparts an exotic character to the wines.”
(Allen Meadows, burghound.com - Nov 2011)