Wine Advocate (96)

The 2010 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru offers an enticing array of marine scents on the nose: cockle shells and estuarine aromas. Give it a couple more minutes and watch those lovely grilled walnut scents flourish and multiply so that is ends up almost Meursault Perrieres in character. The palate makes an immediate impression on the entry with that subtle nutty theme continuing, partnered with racy acidity, superb concentration and a long, tense finish that is energetic and surfeit with mineralite, flint popping up on the finish. So delicious you could broach a bottle now - but that would be depriving you of what will be in a decade-s time! Drink 2016-2035.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2010 Chambertin-Clos de Beze seems to hover on the palate. Dark red berries, freshly cut flowers, minerals and mint are all supported by the silkiest of tannins. The Beze boasts striking inner perfume and fabulous overall balance. Though deceptively medium in body, there is plenty of stuffing and structure to support a long life in the cellar. This is a decidedly feminine Beze that impresses for its sheer elegance and pure class. In sum, it is pure Bruno Clair. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2045.

Vinous (89-92)

Good bright red-ruby. Good lift to the aroma of black fruits and violet. Dense, juicy and savory, with a distinctly dark cast to the nicely concentrated flavors of black fruits and violet. Solidly structured, chewy wine with a long, saline aftertaste. Tremblay noted that Vosne-Romanee had considerably less rain in early September than did Chambolle.

Vinous (89-92)

Good bright red-ruby. Good lift to the aroma of black fruits and violet. Dense, juicy and savory, with a distinctly dark cast to the nicely concentrated flavors of black fruits and violet. Solidly structured, chewy wine with a long, saline aftertaste. Tremblay noted that Vosne-Romanee had considerably less rain in early September than did Chambolle.

Vinous (94+)

Medium red. Subtle perfume of raspberry, underbrush and musky flowers. Silky on entry, then chewy, salty and deep in the middle, with a captivating savory quality and terrific nerve to the tactile red berry and earth flavors. This compellingly juicy, chewy, soil-inflected wine spreads out on the back to saturate the entire palate. Splendid long-term potential here, as the tannins are solid yet noble.

Wine Advocate (98+)

Tasted at the pre-dinner vertical to mark Sylvain Pitiot's retirement from the domaine, the 2010 Clos de Tart Grand Cru would have been made by angels if not Sylvain Pitiot (angels that had graduated from University of Dijon with a degree in oenology). The nose is so ineffably pure that it is guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye. In a strange way it reminds me of a top Armand Rousseau with its awe-inspiring transparency. The palate is ethereal - divine balance, a gentle grip, a saline edge and poise on the finish that takes your breath away. Iron fist in a velvet glove, etc. This is surely legend in the making.

Vinous (94)

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru opens with an explosive bouquet laced with dark red fruit, mint, flowers and graphite. Cool, mineral notes are woven throughout, giving the wine its sense of urgency. A final blast of plums and black cherries informs the powerful, structured finish. This is an impressive showing. The 1er Cru is made from young vines in Musigny.

Vinous (92)

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny is fantastic. It boasts incredible aromatic complexity, gorgeous textural finesse and seemingly endless layers of fruit. Suave yet firm tannins support the fruit through to the highly attractive, delineated finish. This is a great way to start a survey of the domaine's 2010s.

Vinous (92)

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny is fantastic. It boasts incredible aromatic complexity, gorgeous textural finesse and seemingly endless layers of fruit. Suave yet firm tannins support the fruit through to the highly attractive, delineated finish. This is a great way to start a survey of the domaine's 2010s.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (97+)

Deep, bright red-ruby. Brilliantly pure aromas of black raspberry, cherry and crushed limestone. Sharply chiseled, sappy and weightless in the mouth, with uncanny limestone cut to the flavors of raspberry, flowers and wild herbs. Spreads out insidiously to saturate and perfume the palate. Judging from this wine's tactile, bracing finish, endless perfume and firm tannic spine, it should gain in nuance for two or three decades in a cool cellar.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (97+)

Deep, bright red-ruby. Brilliantly pure aromas of black raspberry, cherry and crushed limestone. Sharply chiseled, sappy and weightless in the mouth, with uncanny limestone cut to the flavors of raspberry, flowers and wild herbs. Spreads out insidiously to saturate and perfume the palate. Judging from this wine's tactile, bracing finish, endless perfume and firm tannic spine, it should gain in nuance for two or three decades in a cool cellar.

Vinous (97)

The 2010 Meursault Les Perrières 1er Cru is one of Dominique Lafon's finest offerings from this noble vineyard in recent years, echoing Stephen Tanzer's finding from his vertical in 2019. It has an electrifying bouquet with such intense mineralité that it threatens to overwhelm the senses. The palate is beautifully balanced with a killer line of acidity, just a twist of bitter lemon lending tension, and a judicious touch of creaminess on the detailed finish. Ludicrously brilliant.

Vinous (98)

The 2010 Montrachet Grand Cru is a spectacular wine that fulfills all its potential. The bouquet rivets you to the spot with yellow flowers, hints of honeysuckle and petrichor, with aeration becoming a little petrol-like. The palate is brimming over with nervous energy. There is incredible depth, real thrust to this Montrachet that just lacquers the senses, yet it is only just beginning to demonstrate what it can do. Wow. Bravo Mon. Lafon. Tasted at Noble Rot's Xmas dinner.

Introducing the extraordinary Daniel Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Lys 2010, a masterpiece from the celebrated Burgundy region of France. Skillfully crafted by illustrious winemaker Daniel Etienne Defaix, this wine showcases his prestigious lineage and expertise spanning over 400 years. The Defaix domaine, recognised for meticulous, traditional winemaking, nurtures this Chablis to perfection, infusing each bottle with crisp minerality and profound depth.

This vintage marries the ideal 2010 harvest conditions with a complex, slow fermentation process. Using indigenous yeasts, it is fermented in stainless steel, then aged on lees for a minimum of 36 months, ensuring structure and balance. Its intense bouquet of fresh honeysuckle paired with citrus undertones transforms on the palate into an explosion of stone-fruits, honey and a striking mineral backbone. Descended from vines planted in the unique Kimmeridgian soil, the Daniel Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Lys 2010 encapsulates the authentic expression of its historic terroir.

The Daniel Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2010 is a sublime example of French white at its pinnacle, representing a legacy steeped in more than four centuries of artisanal winemaking. Crafted in the illustrious Chablis region of Burgundy, its pedigree is linked to the hallowed limestone and Kimmeridgian clay soils that lend distinguished minerality and richness.

This exceptional single-vineyard Chablis, made by Daniel Etienne, the most recent heir of the Defaix line, manifests a fascinating interplay between intensity and elegance. The wine undergoes a meticulous vinification process, involving extended fermentation and long, slow maturation in vat to achieve an optimal meld of flavours. The result is an intricately layered wine exuding lively citrus and orchard fruit characteristics, delicately layered with floral and flinty notes.

The Daniel Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2010 marks a compelling testament to the deftness of Defaix, amalgamating tradition, terroir, and artistry in each bottle.

Vinous (88-91)

Palish red. More stony on the nose than the Sizies, with a perfumed quality to the strawberry, cherry and menthol aromas. A step up in texture and sweetness, displaying an element of smoky minerality and a slightly edgy quality on the plate. Finishes with a firm mineral spine and an herbal nuance.

Vinous (91-93+)

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux comes across as cool, inward and virile. It possesses stunning mid-palate presence and depth. Layers of black cherry, blackberry, spices and graphite emerge on the intense, palate-staining finish. Here, too, it is the energy and textural breadth that set the wine apart. This parcel was planted in 1920. I can't wait to taste the Corbeaux in bottle.

Vinous (93-95)

Things really take off with the 2010 Echézeaux, which is a meaningful step up from the earlier wines in this tasting. The 2010 surprises for its size and sheer volume. It boasts phenomenal depth and richness in its intense dark red fruit. The sheer energy and vibrancy of the fruit is remarkable. A huge, explosive finish makes it impossible to resist a second taste. This is a great showing from the Echézeaux, even if the 2010 is notably bigger than is typical for this bottling. The Echézeaux was the last fruit to be picked in 2010.

Vinous (93-95)

Things really take off with the 2010 Echézeaux, which is a meaningful step up from the earlier wines in this tasting. The 2010 surprises for its size and sheer volume. It boasts phenomenal depth and richness in its intense dark red fruit. The sheer energy and vibrancy of the fruit is remarkable. A huge, explosive finish makes it impossible to resist a second taste. This is a great showing from the Echézeaux, even if the 2010 is notably bigger than is typical for this bottling. The Echézeaux was the last fruit to be picked in 2010.

Wine Advocate (96)

This is the second time that I have tasted the 2010 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru from bottle from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and it was a wine that prompted a table of mature Pinot aficionadoes to remark upon the joys of infanticide. This is just a fantastic wine from the domaine. The nose is heavenly with its exquisite delineation, the fruit maybe a touch darker and earthier than a couple of years ago -- yet still with subtle woodland/sous-bois aromas and a hint of morels. The palate is wonderfully defined, so fresh and precise with filigree tannin. Yet there is great backbone to this wine, a framework that imparts a sense of symmetry that is totally disarming. Of course, readers should afford this magnificent wine a decade in the cellar...unless by complete accident a corkscrew falls into the cork and twists around until the cork pops out. Then you will have to drink it.

Vinous (97)

(just under 13% alcohol, without chaptalization): Good bright, full red. Ineffable high-pitched aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, spices, flowers and white pepper. Wonderfully sappy and fine-grained, with outstanding inner-mouth mineral-driven perfume to the taut flavors of pungent red berries, flowers and spices. Most impressive today on the inexorably building finish, which features very suave tannins and great energy and lift. Built for a very long life in bottle and yet this great La Tache already reveals considerable charm.

Vinous (97)

(just under 13% alcohol, without chaptalization): Good bright, full red. Ineffable high-pitched aromas of raspberry, pomegranate, cranberry, spices, flowers and white pepper. Wonderfully sappy and fine-grained, with outstanding inner-mouth mineral-driven perfume to the taut flavors of pungent red berries, flowers and spices. Most impressive today on the inexorably building finish, which features very suave tannins and great energy and lift. Built for a very long life in bottle and yet this great La Tache already reveals considerable charm.

Vinous (99)

I can’t think of a better or more appropriate wine to bring the evening to a close than the 2010 Montrachet, a vintage that marries power and elegance like few before it. Dense and powerful in the glass, with tremendous textural richness, the 2010 shows remarkable transparency, with layers of citrus peel, crushed rock, slate, mint and dried flowers that build into the huge, explosive finish. Simply put, the 2010 is stratospheric. Tasted at the DRC Montrachet charity event in New York.

Vinous (99)

I can’t think of a better or more appropriate wine to bring the evening to a close than the 2010 Montrachet, a vintage that marries power and elegance like few before it. Dense and powerful in the glass, with tremendous textural richness, the 2010 shows remarkable transparency, with layers of citrus peel, crushed rock, slate, mint and dried flowers that build into the huge, explosive finish. Simply put, the 2010 is stratospheric. Tasted at the DRC Montrachet charity event in New York.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2010 Richebourg is a kaleidoscope of black fruit, graphite, mint, violets and spices. It is a towering, statuesque wine that completely saturates the palate in all directions, seemingly at the same time. The 2010 stands out for its beguiling, totally exquisite aromatics. The trademark Richebourg structure is present, but this seems to be a vintage where finesse takes precedence over sheer power. Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2010 Richebourg is a kaleidoscope of black fruit, graphite, mint, violets and spices. It is a towering, statuesque wine that completely saturates the palate in all directions, seemingly at the same time. The 2010 stands out for its beguiling, totally exquisite aromatics. The trademark Richebourg structure is present, but this seems to be a vintage where finesse takes precedence over sheer power. Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

The 2010 Richebourg is a kaleidoscope of black fruit, graphite, mint, violets and spices. It is a towering, statuesque wine that completely saturates the palate in all directions, seemingly at the same time. The 2010 stands out for its beguiling, totally exquisite aromatics. The trademark Richebourg structure is present, but this seems to be a vintage where finesse takes precedence over sheer power. Anticipated maturity: 2030-2060.

Wine Spectator (99)

A combination of power and finesse, featuring explosive aromas and a complex mélange of flowers, spice, mint, strawberry and wild cherry flavors. Displays a sweetness not evident in the other DRC reds, with a silky texture and amazing harmony, all supported by refined tannins.—Non-blind 2010 DRC tasting (March 2013). Best from 2017 through 2040.