The 2010 Clos St. Denis is downright explosive from the first taste. An exotic melange of dark cherries, plums, minerals and cloves are all supported by insistent underlying minerality. The wine continues to grow in the glass, as layers of flavor fill out its broad-shouldered frame nicely. Blackberries, cassis, menthol and licorice flow through to the textured finish. This is a breathtaking effort. It is also a wine for the very patient. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2045.
Dujac fans will be thrilled with these 2010s. They are off the charts. The most difficult thing will no doubt be finding them. Jeremy Seysses reported yields down by 30-50% across the board, although his Morey blanc was down a whopping 90%. The poor flowering and wet summer resulted in loose bunches with a high amount of shot berries. The wines came in at 12 to 12.5% potential alcohol and were lightly chaptalized. Seysses used 80-90% stems for most of the wines, a little less for some, such as the Charmes and Combettes (around 70%) and more for the Chambertin and RSV (both 100%). Unfortunately, the 2010 Morey 1er Cru was too reduced to evaluate, so I will have to wait for another opportunity to taste the wine. I also tasted the entire range of 2009s. I will report on those wines in the April issue.
Importers: The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724; Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; Chambers & Chambers, San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 642-5500