2010 Beaune Greves

Nicolas Potel told me that the 2010 harvest was "easy, like 1991. The wines aren't big, but they have lovely purity, like the 2002s but more concentrated." Interestingly, he finds the 2010s from Gevrey-Chambertin similar "in texture and intensity" to the 2009s, although he was quick to point out that the 2009 aromas are different. Potel's percentage of whole-cluster vinification varies widely for the negociant wines: for example, the Gevrey-Chambertin premier crus were almost entirely destemmed in 2010, while Potel's top items from Vosne-Romanee were done entirely vendange entier. Potel noted that his domain wines, which are generally 12.7% or 12.8% alcohol without chaptalization, were "much more cleaned up" by the time of my November visit, "closer to being finished wines." They had been racked into tank in October, but his many negociant cuvees were still in barrel, unracked. (Loosen Bros., Portland, OR)