Bouland’s 2010 Chiroubles is delightfully-scented with orange blossom and fresh red raspberry; luscious yet bright; infused with saliva-inducing salinity; and finishes with lift and a sappy persistence that was enhanced in the freshly-opened bottle versus that open overnight. Smoky black tea and crushed stone notes were on the other hand enhanced in the latter bottle. This won’t make one forget the seductively-textured 2009, but represents another fine performance that is worth following for several more years. Daniel Bouland achieved a 2010 crop similar in size to that of 2009, and said that effectively combating mildew was his toughest 2010 challenge. But somehow, it seems, this grower renders wines if anything more dynamic and ultimately more expressive in challenging vintages. Chiroubles was harvested at just under 12% potential alcohol and lightly-chaptalized; the other crus at 12.5-13% and unadjusted. Bouland owned-up to high levels of malic acid but reported problem-free lactic transformation. I had the opportunity to compare side-by-side freshly opened bottles of each wine with ones that had been open overnight and have commented on some of the differences in the course of my notes. (For further detail on this grower’s properties, consult my tasting notes in issue 190.)Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800