2010 - Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs, Denis Mortet

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs comes across as sleek and polished. Dark red cherries, flowers and mint are some of the notes that emerge from this textured, deep Gevrey. This is a decidedly big wine next to the other Gevreys and is one of the very few wines where the new oak (60%) is felt. This parcel of 70- year-old vines is on the Brochon border. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029. Arnaud Mortet is focused on making elegant, refined wines. In 2010 he sought to achieve that through gentle extraction and less use of new oak barrels, which is broadly the direction his winemaking is headed, notwithstanding the many particulars that present themselves each year. Mortet planned to age the 2010s fifteen months in barrel, then rack the wines into steel. Yields are of course down across the board, but that won’t be much of a surprise to readers given the vintage. Overall, the Mortet 2010s are striking for their beauty and transparency. The 2009 also showed brilliantly from bottle. I will report on those wines in the April issue. Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400

Medium red. Subtle, vinous aromas of redcurrant, red cherry, underbrush and leather. Sweet and silky on entry, then tight in the middle, with terrific purity and verve to the flavors of red fruits, spices and flowers. Finishes sappy and lightly saline, with a fine dusting of tannins and excellent subtle length. Really terrific retention of fruit here.

Very fresh and scented. Lots of beguiling ripe fruit. Very energetic and racy. But it demands time. (JR)