2010 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue, Musigny Grand Cru, Cuvee Vieilles Vignes

(bottled in March of 2012; this and the Bonnes-Mares were aged in 35% new oak): Deep, bright red-ruby. Brilliantly pure aromas of black raspberry, cherry and crushed limestone. Sharply chiseled, sappy and weightless in the mouth, with uncanny limestone cut to the flavors of raspberry, flowers and wild herbs. Spreads out insidiously to saturate and perfume the palate. Judging from this wine's tactile, bracing finish, endless perfume and firm tannic spine, it should gain in nuance for two or three decades in a cool cellar.

The 2010 Musigny Vieilles Vignes is incredibly long and silky on the palate. Saline notes add urgency and vibrancy to the expressive red fruit in this beautifully woven, textured Musigny. Currently the Musigny appears to be revealing just a fraction of its potential. The sweet floral notes and super-refined red fruit that emerge over time are stunningly beautiful, though, and it is just a matter of time before the wine is fully formed. Today the 2010 is all about textural finesse, and there is no shortage of that in the glass. This is another stunningly beautiful wine from de Vogue. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2045. Long-time oenologist Francois Millet was away during my visit to Burgundy, so I can’t relay his always visually evocative thoughts on recent vintages. At the end of the day, though, these wines need no words; they speak for themselves, and then some. Commercial director Jean-Luc Pepin was kind enough to show me all of the 2010s and 2009s (from bottle), including the seldom seen Bourgogne Blanc. I will report on the 2009s in the April issue. A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Atlanta Wholesale Wines, Atlanta, GA; tel. (404) 696-9440; C?Est Vin, District of Columbia; tel. (703) 243-3559; Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770

A highly spiced and intensely floral nose evidences hints of violet, lilac, wild rose and lavender along with notes of both red and black pinot fruit, kirsch, earth and stone hints that continue onto the pure and silky broad-shouldered flavors that also possess a powerful yet almost delicate mouth feel. This is a very interesting wine as the dense tannins are so fine-grained that the palate impression is like the finest satin. The driving minerality adds another element and there is a palpable sense of energy to the balanced, focused and beautifully well-delineated finish that explodes with mouth coating dry extract. This is unapologetically built to age and indeed it will require plenty of it. Succinctly put, this is breathtakingly good. Drink: 2030+
-Burghound.com, Issue 49. Tasted: Jan 14, 2013

It has been some time since I tasted the 2010 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru from de Vogüé. I have been critical of some heavy-handed vintages, but not in this case. This has a lovely nose, floral and pure with wild mint, fennel and red fruit, very Gevrey in style. Excellent delineation and sense of breeding. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm but not oppressive backbone. Yes, there is a touch of austerity, but it feels part of this wine's DNA, fanning out gloriously on the finish. Majestic. Tasted at the Southwold Burgundy dinner at Hatched restaurant.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 29/02/2012

The 2010 Musigny Vieilles Vignes is incredibly long and silky on the palate. Saline notes add urgency and vibrancy to the expressive red fruit in this beautifully woven, textured Musigny. Currently the Musigny appears to be revealing just a fraction of its potential. The sweet floral notes and super-refined red fruit that emerge over time are stunningly beautiful, though, and it is just a matter of time before the wine is fully formed. Today the 2010 is all about textural finesse, and there is no shortage of that in the glass. This is another stunningly beautiful wine from de Vogue. Anticipated maturity: 2025-2045.

Long-time oenologist Francois Millet was away during my visit to Burgundy, so I can’t relay his always visually evocative thoughts on recent vintages. At the end of the day, though, these wines need no words; they speak for themselves, and then some. Commercial director Jean-Luc Pepin was kind enough to show me all of the 2010s and 2009s (from bottle), including the seldom seen Bourgogne Blanc. I will report on the 2009s in the April issue.

Very dark crimson. Perfumed yet with such great bottom. Rich mix of fruit and moss on the nose. Quite dry, severe start with obviously massive potential. Majestic. But not for a very long time! This wine shows that there is no question of 2010s being a considered a lesser vintage. Great structure and great ambition but certainly not for neophytes. Bone dry. Compare and contrast with the warm welcome chez Roumier! Much denser than chez Mugnier. (JR)