2010 White Burgundy

Bonneau du Martray sets  the benchmark for Corton Charlemagne and the 2010 has a complex, intense flavour profile that continues to develop in the glass. It is very tight and primary at the moment with notes of green apples, lemons and wet stones. Its finesse, fine wood tannins and fresh acidity with its dense flavour intensity promises a real beauty in ten years...I can't wait!

Pale bright straw with a crystalline purity to the nose. Complex and delicate fruit jostling for position, a little lemon scented. Very pure follow through, perfect fruit and acid balance and very good length. Impressive texture too.
Jasper Morris MW, Fine Wine Buyer

Showing a full pale yellow colour, this has a rich and exotic nose that includes some nuttiness and coconut notes. The fruit is superbly expressive on the palate, multi-layered and backed by the vital fresh acidity of the vintage.
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.

This is always a powerful Corton Charlemagne wine, coming from a predominantly south-facing site. The bouquet is generous but still with the classical stoniness of Charlemagne. There is real muscle, great complexity, and a fine sense of harmony.
Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buying Director

The old order changeth slowly at Maison Louis Jadot. Veteran winemaker Jacques Lardière is still very much in charge, but his eventual successor Frédéric is starting to play a more prominent role. Don’t 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 cuvées – 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.

Though Maison Louis Jadot dont own the vines from the Chassagne side of the vineyard, they certainly know what to do with the grapes. Wave after wave of fruit bursts across the palate and there is majesty throughout, especially in the aftertaste.
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.

There were seven separate pickings across the vineyard to ensure that each plot was picked at the optimum moment and it has produced something special. Apples, pears and spices on the palate all combine with a dancing acidity that produces a simply magical wine.
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.

Burgundy Vintage 2010 Best Buys - Outside the Box
With ripe fruit at the fore on the nose, Loichet’s Ladoix wine is reminiscent of a ‘mini’ Corton-Charlemagne. Very precise on the palate with freshness that is the hallmark of this vintage with a wonderful long finish.
Fergus Stewart - Private Account Manager

A dancing aromatic nose is leaner than the early vintages of this wine when the fruit was picked late. Picking earlier makes for a good fresh complex mix of pears, fresh apricots and some citric notes, with fine fresh acidity behind.
Jasper Morris MW - Burgundy Director

This is a thoroughly fine range from the young and enthusiastic Sylvain Loichet in 2010. The whites have their usual energy and pure fruit while the reds have been fine-tuned, with a slightly shorter time in vat producing far more elegant wines. This is becoming an exceptionally good address. Note also the two cuvées of Corton-Charlemagne from different parts of the hill.

From three separate plots covering different parts of the Perrires vineyard. There is a touch of honey alongside some apple compte notes, while the wine in the mouth starts full and fleshy but finishes on lively minerals. Complete and complex.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

Philippe Prost, long-time winemaker at Bouchard Pre & Fils, is less flamboyant than his veteran opposite number at Jadot, but he still has firm opinions and he knows the detail of all his vineyard sites inside out. He clearly prefers his 2010 whites to the previous vintage, though we rather liked those too, while the fresh finish of the vintage has brought his excellent 2010 reds to life.

Extremely aromatic, there is almost a sense of viognier here. Middleweight flesh, with a fine steely core through the middle, the structure here is certainly Puligny, even if the persistent perfume with peach and violet notes suggests it is something more exotic.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

The nose here is backward but suggests succulence, with pear and peach notes beginning to emerge. Attractively opulent in the mouth with weight and charm backed by the appropriate acidity, this is a full scale, impressive Puligny-Montrachet.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

There were only 100 cases of this new wine produced in 2010, which is a shame at it provides terrific, elegant Meursault. Pure, clean and bright with a very chiselled, mineral nose, it is crunchy on the palate before it fattens out. The whole is suffused with a floral perfume.
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.

A beautifully poised, idyllic Meursault nose with lots of detail is followed by supple, subtle fruit on the palate with fine freshness behind and a pleasing minerality. This is very fine indeed.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau started picking early on 17th September in 2010, continuing over the following nine days as the vineyards ripened. His wines maintain their traditional status as excellent value for money, while the move to his new cellars two years ago has improved the consistency of the range and purity too. The aromatics of this 2010 vintage remind Jean-Baptiste of 2002, but perhaps with greater flesh.

In contrast to the more aromatic style of Les Tillets, the En la Barre bottling is more about body and texture. There is impressive weight here, a classical lower slope Meursault with rounded body.
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 Franois Jobards 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.

Succulent yellow plum fruit dominates the nose here, before a big rich Meursault mouthful takes over, fully of weighty, ripe Mirabelle fruit that absolutely covers the structure before an extremely long finish.
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).

Brilliant, pure and clear, this wine is also immensely stylish and joyous, yet has precision too! Very backward because it is so concentrated, every sip of this wine still shows its class and balance. An exceptional level of quality.
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.