2010 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

Olivier Bernstein is one of the younger generation of micro-négociants who owns no vineyards, but rather sources fruit from a variety of vineyards. In just a few years Bernstein has put together an impressive collection of wines from some of the Côte d'Or's most prestigious appellations. Bernstein describes 2010 as a vintage with a lot of millerandage (shot berries). The 2010s were vinified with 50% stems and the malos finished in July, which is fairly standard for the year. None of the 2010s had been racked at the time of my visit in late November 2011 and bottling was planned for March and April 2012. Stylistically, these are fleshy, generous wines that stand apart for their textural depth.

Olivier Bernstein recently purchased an old grange in Beaune and made his 2011s there. Although he now has more space to work with, he still plans to maintain production at around 100 barrels a year, as virtually all of his wines are premier or grand cru. Bernstein believes that 2010 "could be a great vintage. The wines have all the advantages of 2008 and 2009 without the drawbacks." He picked on the early side, from September 20 through 23, and was one of the few producers I met with who had all of his fruit in before the rain fell on September 24. Bernstein noted that he actually bought more fruit in 2010 but made the same amount of wine as he did the previous year due to yields that were off 30% to 40%. Colors are deep due to the millerandage and six-or-seven-day pre-fermentation cold soaks, and Bernstein told me he did some very gentle pigeage "only if necessary," relying mostly on remontage. The malos finished in June and July, and Bernstein believes that the 2010s have "grown" during elevage. None of the wines had been racked at the time of my November visit, and Bernstein was planning to rack in late February and bottle in April. With his wines in strong demand, Bernstein is in the enviable position of being able to get away with not shipping his bottles until they've been paid for. (A Becky Wasserman selection; also handled by Thomas Calder Selections)