The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is bursting with energy and sheer verve. Firm yet well-integrated tannins provide the backbone for an expressive core of dark fruit. The wine gains finesse on the mid-palate and finish, but ultimately this needs much more time to blossom. I especially like the drive here. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. Denis Bachelet’s 2010s are fabulous across the board. I find the wines more harmonious and complete than the 2009s. The cool, long growing season provided a lovely counterpoint to the rich, fruit-driven aromas and flavors that are typical in these wines, and that marks some vintages (such as 2009) to a significant degree. Like many of his colleagues in Gevrey, Bachelet was hit by the severe December 2009 frost. The flowering, which typically takes one week, took an entire month because of bad weather, leaving the plants with a high percentage of shot berries. Bachelet began harvesting on September 25. The wines spent 15 days on the skins and were racked prior to the malos. Bottling was scheduled for March 2012. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; AOC Imports, CA; tel. (415) 279-8708; Toepfer Imports LLC, CO; tel. (303) 818-7640

Medium red. Deep but reserved nose offers very ripe aromas of redcurrant, truffle, chocolate and mocha. Dense, juicy and youthful; needs time to expand on the palate, but has the integrated acidity and finishing grip to benefit from patience. I'd give this classy, lively village wine a good six years to express itself.

75-year-old vines. All his wines have a little (convincing) earthiness on the nose. Very charming and concentrated and plush and fabulous! What richness of fruit. Tannins almost invisible. One of those village wines well worth a premier cru price. (JR)