2010 White Burgundy
Learn more about 2010 White Burgundy
White Wines
It is mostly a very fine vintage for white burgundy wines, though the storm on 12th September has affected some but not all of the southern Côte de Beaune wines.
Those in the less affected areas or those who made the right decisions if they were affected, have made some fabulous wines that are very aromatic up front, indeed with a great range of different flavours, dense and fleshy in the middle, and with very good acidity behind – almost a 2008 vintage acidity but much better integrated into the main body of the wine.
The aromatics range from apple, fresh and green or ripe and baked, to more exotic orange blossom notes which may indicate some noble rot. Meursault however is particularly fine, while further north Chablis is superb, enjoying a vintage which combines density of flavour with a classic mineral acidity – they are very much wines to keep.
Read here the 2009 Vintage Report on Red Burgundy wines.
Overview
There was no hype for 2010 Burgundy at the time of the vintage (unlike Bordeaux) but the wines which have been bottled, have turned out to be something special. The reasons for this emerge in the next paragraphs.
The tricky bit this year is that yields are way down, typically by 30% to 50%. Despite this, the majority of producers have maintained their 2009 prices with only those who want to reposition looking for a significant increase.
Weather
The first date of crucial importance was 19th December 2009, just as delegates were leaving the Copenhagen Climate Change conference, when temperatures plunged to record lows in a very short space of time. The Côte de Nuits was the worst affected, especially in those low lying vineyards where cold air can be trapped on humid soils and large patches failed to burst into leaf when spring eventually came.
This winter freeze may well have reduced the crop for the great majority of vines which did survive, while a latish flowering in poor weather certainly did so. Everybody reported widespread millerandage, when bunches produce a large proportion of much smaller berries. Clearly the harvest would be short, and this was crucial because the subsequent poor summer could never have ripened a 2009 sized crop, while the small berries with a high skin to juice ratio could produce concentrated wines.
The first half of July was exceptionally hot and dry, but the weather weakened in the second half of the month and August never really happened. The good news was that there was relatively little evidence of oidium, mildew or rot – but clearly the weather needed to cheer up significantly in September. However there was one more nasty surprise to come.
A massive thunder storm took place on Sunday 12th September and included hail which ravaged the Santenay and Chassagne-Montrachet border. The electricity in the air also had an effect on nearly ripe white grapes, turning them brown or even blue overnight. Then Burgundy’s old friend, the north wind, came to the rescue and dried out the vineyards, preventing rot from galloping through the vineyards. The red grapes, unless specifically damaged by the hail, did not otherwise suffer. At harvest time, the producers felt happy to have escaped disaster.
They did not expect anything remarkable from the vintage and indeed the start of the vinification process was not especially auspicious, with the grapes reluctant to hand over their colour and fruit. But by the time the new wine was ready to be decanted out of the vats into barrels, producers were sounding a lot more confident.
Some had chosen to go with the style of the vintage and keep extraction to the minimum; others wished to compensate for the reluctance of the fruit to emerge initially, and had gone for a longer than usual vinification. Many fewer stems were used in 2010 than the previous year.
Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer
Jasper divides his time between England and Burgundy. His unique position led him to write the ultimate guide to the vineyards of the region, Inside Burgundy. Described as “the greatest reference work of our generation” by Bill Nanson (www.burgundyreport. com), and “an essential book for anyone remotely interested in the region and its wines” by Neal Martin (www.erobertparker.com), this outstandingly detailed book, in 656 pages, covers one thousand specific vineyards, from Grands Crus to obscure plots.
Prices:
Case price (Bottle 6 x 75cl)
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Caroline l’Estimé (née Gagnard) has been ploughing her vineyards since 2000 to avoid the use of herbicides and switched to full organic farming from 2010 with certification beginning from 2011. Noted soil scientist Claude Bourguigon is consulting. The 2010s were picked quickly (not many grapes alas) between 21st and 24th September, with any rot resulting from the famous storm having dried out or turned noble.
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
The old order changeth slowly at Maison Louis Jadot. Veteran winemaker Jacques Lardire is still very much in charge, but his eventual successor Frdric is starting to play a more prominent role. Dont expect a revolution, but a little evolution is doubtless possible. The acidity of 2010 very much suits the Jadot white wine style, while their fullish extraction of Pinot Noir has worked notably well in several red cuves such as the Volnay, Clos de la Barre which we have selected for the first time this year. Where the wines come from one of the various Jadot domaines we supply the relevant information in brackets.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
The old order changeth slowly at Maison Louis Jadot. Veteran winemaker Jacques Lardire is still very much in charge, but his eventual successor Frdric is starting to play a more prominent role. Dont expect a revolution, but a little evolution is doubtless possible. The acidity of 2010 very much suits the Jadot white wine style, while their fullish extraction of Pinot Noir has worked notably well in several red cuves such as the Volnay, Clos de la Barre which we have selected for the first time this year. Where the wines come from one of the various Jadot domaines we supply the relevant information in brackets.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
This is such a quiet and understated domaine, but they have been making brilliant wines for some time now, abetted by a seemingly seamless transition from Grard Boudot to the next generation, daughter Emilie and son-in-law Benoit Riffault. The domaine is now farmed entirely organically with some biodynamic methods being used. They began picking on 17th September, finishing before the rains of Friday 24th even so some sorting was necessary. The difficult flowering, especially higher on the slope, has led to very small yields giving exceptionally concentrated wines.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Olivier Lamy decided on an unusually early start of 14th September in 2010, having closely monitored the ripeness of his grapes. He has also significantly reduced the amount of new oak this year, preferring to use one year old barrels from the plentiful 2009 vintage. He now has a substantial barrel park of 600 litre demi-muids to draw from. Olivier is not a fan of lees stirring: his style is for pure, precise concentrated wines.
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 3 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
The former Domaine René Manuel has been purchased by investors, the vineyards being split between Domaine des Comtes Lafon and Domaine Roulot while Dominique Lafon himself has moved production of his own label wines to the Manuel cellars in Meursault, as well as gaining some Bourgogne Blanc vines. Though Dominique operates officially under the status of negociant, all the wines are domaine grown and bottled except the Bourgogne Blanc, which will be next year.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Antoine Jobard started picking on Sunday 19th September and hurried through so as to finish before the rains, announced for the following Friday, arrived. The wines have the same concentration as in François Jobard’s time but a greater purity. There is little emphasis on new oak, with an average of 20% new barrels across the range, leaving the wines to speak for themselves. Everything was fully ripe in 2010 but nothing exceeded 13.3% alcohol, so the balance is certainly there.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Olivier Lamy decided on an unusually early start of 14th September in 2010, having closely monitored the ripeness of his grapes. He has also significantly reduced the amount of new oak this year, preferring to use one year old barrels from the plentiful 2009 vintage. He now has a substantial barrel park of 600 litre demi-muids to draw from. Olivier is not a fan of lees stirring: his style is for pure, precise concentrated wines.
Leroux' Chassagne-Montrachet Tête du Clos is one of the most balanced and charming Chassagnes we’ ve tasted from 2010. It offers a toasty oak character with a touch of orange blossom, racy acidity, stony minerality and lime on the finish. (Berrys’ Fine Wine Team)
An incredible nose is offered here, with magical white fruit that is very concentrated but not fat and heavy. This Chassagne-Montrachet is beautifully long, very pure and exceptionally special.
(Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director)
Benjamin Leroux has managed to produce almost as much wine in 2010 as he did in 2009. Some of his grape contracts were short because of the low crop in 2010, but he has been able to compensate with some new sources of supply. 2010, Benjamin’s fourth vintage, looks to be a great success in both colours here. Included in this selection is a cuvée of Volnay Santenots from the Hospices de Beaune whose élévage we entrusted to Benjamin.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Arnaud Ente is always one of the first to pick. His meticulous vineyard work and low yields encourage early ripeness, so in 2010 he could start on 15th September. The yield is much the same as 2008 and Arnaud notes similar acidity readings, but with much more flesh on the palate and finer aromatics. The label has also been fine-tuned this year and is now exceptionally handsome. Overall, these are breath-taking wines.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
The 2010s here come in various slightly different styles according to the picking date. Bourgogne Oligocene was picked early, most of the Meursaults the following week while Tte de Murger came in last with extra ripeness in the grapes. Plans are taking place for the future though Patrick has no intention of retiring yet. One daughter, Marion, has been working with him for several years and he has now been joined by son-in-law Pierre-Emmanuel Lamy (no relation to Olivier).
Bottle 12 x 75cl 2cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
After several years surrounded by building works, David Croix now has a smart new cellar to play with, as well as the three new vineyards from the hill of Corton which arrived just in time for the 2009 vintage. This year all the vineyard work has been done by Davids own team which has made a difference. It is a beautiful range of wines overall, everything delivering just a little bit more than the appellations suggest. The Beaunes were picked from September 21st to the 23rd, the Cortons the following week.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
The former Domaine René Manuel has been purchased by investors, the vineyards being split between Domaine des Comtes Lafon and Domaine Roulot while Dominique Lafon himself has moved production of his own label wines to the Manuel cellars in Meursault, as well as gaining some Bourgogne Blanc vines. Though Dominique operates officially under the status of negociant, all the wines are domaine grown and bottled except the Bourgogne Blanc, which will be next year.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Arnaud Ente is always one of the first to pick. His meticulous vineyard work and low yields encourage early ripeness, so in 2010 he could start on 15th September. The yield is much the same as 2008 and Arnaud notes similar acidity readings, but with much more flesh on the palate and finer aromatics. The label has also been fine-tuned this year and is now exceptionally handsome. Overall, these are breath-taking wines.
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Drouhin reds are noted for being lightish in colour, perfumed and a little extracted. Their range of 2010s however show rather deeper colours and more structure the team felt that the wines were responding very well to the period of maceration in the vats after the fermentation had been completed, so they extended this period. A small percentage of stems are often included to add a little seasoning, though the hallmark of the Drouhin style remains an absolute purity of fruit.