The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes is striking. Attractive floral aromatics meld into expressive fruit in this sweet, perfumed wine. Dark red cherries, freshly cut flowers, mint and hard candy wrap around the sensual, fragrant finish. This is a very classy showing. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. The biggest news at Domaine Fourrier is Jean-Marie Fourrier’s decision to launch a small negociant operation to augment his estate wines. Readers can look forward to new bottlings from the 1er Cru Aux Exchanges in Chambolle-Musigny and two new Grand Cru wines from Clos de Vougeot and Echezeaux, all of which will debut with the 2011 vintage. As for 2010, Fourrier told me he is down 40% across the board in terms of yields. The cold weather during the flowering produced 100% millerandage (shot berries), which Fourrier described as pea-sized grapes. While that is not good for quantity, it has certainly turned out great for quality. Readers who want to learn more about Fourrier’s thoughts on the vintage and approach to vinification might want to check out my video interview on www.erobertparker.com. As a quick note, none of the 2010s had been racked at the time of my visit in early December 2011. I have kept scores a bit wider than normal in the few cases where the wines were a touch reduced. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

Good bright, deep red. Raspberry and red cherry fruit aromas are lifted by a floral element and nicely complemented by truffley underbrush. Tighter and higher-pitched than the Aux Echezeaux and less sweet today, but boasts excellent flesh and a tactile impression of energy. Very tightly coiled. Should make a stunning village wine. From the north side of Gevrey (Les Champerrieres); both these vines and those in Aux Echezeaux were planted in 1928.

The 2010 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes has an open, simple but effective bouquet with scents of cranberry, raspberry and fig, developing an undercurrent of earthiness with time in the glass, later a splash of iodine. The palate is medium-bodied with a sweet entry, moderate depth with plenty of raspberry fruit and a grippy, quite saline finish. No reason not to drink now. Tasted at Domaine Direct's dinner at Noble Rot.

North of the village, planted in 1928. But deeper in colour than Aux Échezeaux. Vibrant energetic fruit. Very racy and transparent. Very superior village wine. (JR)