2010 Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte Grand Cru

Winemaker Philippe Prost described his young 2011 whites as having "more varietal fruit and flash than the 2010s." With their low levels of malic acidity, the wines didn't change much during the malolactic fermentations. In fact, said Prost, the final acidity levels are in a fairly narrow range in the 2008 through 2011 vintages, even if the wines from these years do not show the same definition. Bouchard began picking 2011 pinot on August 29 and chardonnay on September 1. Prost noted that ambient temperatures were much warmer at harvest time in 2011 than they had been in 2010, so it was essential to pick in the early morning. He also pressed quickly to avoid getting a golden color in the wines. Prost noted that a lot of people picked their chardonnay too early for fear of getting rot. What they got instead was green fruit, he added.

According to winemaker Philippe Prost, the harvest at both Bouchard and William Fevre began on September 20. As in 2008, it was necessary to wait for "better ripeness and better site expression," he explained. At this early stage, Prost thought that Chablis had an edge, as there was a significant difference in quality on the Cote de Beaune between the Bouchard domain bottlings and those from purchased grapes and must, no doubt partly attributable to harvest dates. "But 2010 can be great for red wine," he added. Prost believes that 2008 is an outstanding "example of white Burgundy." The 2010s, he added, are a bit lower in malic acidity and have been open since the outset. The crop level was down an average of 30% from 2009. Prost rolls the barrels rather than stirring the lees, and the 2010s have remained cloudy, which he feels is a good thing.