The 2010 Grands-Echezeaux is totally weightless and beautiful. Crushed flowers, mint and sweet tobacco waft from the glass. The Grands-Echezeaux shows off phenomenal inner perfume and sweetness in a deceptively understated style that is immensely appealing. A seriously long, intense finish rounds things out in style. The 2010 is notable for a level of finesse that isn’t always a signature of this wine. Anticipated maturity: 2030-2050. I tasted the 2010s twice from barrel, once in the summer just as the wines were about to be racked and then again during my early December visit. On both occasions the wines were stellar. Like virtually all of his colleagues, co-manager Aubert de Villaine was surprised by the level of the 2010s given all of the challenges of the growing season. I could repeat everything de Villaine told me, but there is no better source than the man himself, so readers who want to learn more about the 2010 harvest may want to take a look at my interview with de Villaine on www.erobertparker.com. Overall, I am very impressed with the 2010s with the exception of the Corton, which appears to be a notch or two below the 2009. The 2010 that most greatly exceeds its appellation and historical level of quality is the Echezeaux. I also tasted the 2010 Vosne-Romanee Cuvee Duvault-Blochet but the domaine had not yet decided if the wine would be released. I will report on the 2009s in our April issue. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

This is the second time that I have tasted the 2010 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru from bottle from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and it was a wine that prompted a table of mature Pinot aficionadoes to remark upon the joys of infanticide. This is just a fantastic wine from the domaine. The nose is heavenly with its exquisite delineation, the fruit maybe a touch darker and earthier than a couple of years ago -- yet still with subtle woodland/sous-bois aromas and a hint of morels. The palate is wonderfully defined, so fresh and precise with filigree tannin. Yet there is great backbone to this wine, a framework that imparts a sense of symmetry that is totally disarming. Of course, readers should afford this magnificent wine a decade in the cellar...unless by complete accident a corkscrew falls into the cork and twists around until the cork pops out. Then you will have to drink it.

Deep, bright red. Slightly high-toned, liqueur-like sweet cherry aroma perked up by brisk minerality. Quite ripe but reticent in the mouth, with the slightly high-toned quality carrying through. Comes across as firmer and more minerally than the Echezeaux.