Chablis 2010

The Growing Season 2010 followed a cold, long winter, and Spring took a while to get going. The beginning of April was warm and dry and bud burst got off to a good start, however there were some frosts and the end of the month saw cooler unsettled weather set in. Alternating cool and warm periods through May and June meant flowering was disturbed and that it took place in relatively cold, damp conditions. Millerandage was widespread reducing yields by up to 40% in some areas. Yields were down by nearly 20% and the 1ers Crus were particularly struck. Hot weather returned at the end of June and continued through July. Chablis escaped the thunderstorms seen elsewhere in Burgundy until mid-August, when the rain that did arrive was mostly welcomed. September improved and a good amount of sunshine in the middle of the month allowed good maturity to be acheived, without an excess of rot to contend with.

The Harvest September 20th saw the start of the majority of harvesting, and the weather was clear until the night of the 23rd, when a lot of rain fell. The ensuing days were showery and cool rather than very wet. Overall a relatively healthy crop was brought in, although a few producers did have problems with late rot. The grapes were small with a high ratio of skin to juice and concentrations were good where the harvest was completed before the rains fell.

The Wines After the lush ripeness of the 2009, 2010 is a return to a more mineral, classic style. With the different characteristics of each vineyard very clearly defined, the wines are the perfect expression of their terroirs. Benoit Droin prefers the cleaner, fresher style this year. There is a richness and concentration which is attributable to the skin:flesh ratio, but the wines also display a fantastic purity of fruit and a serious mineral structure and power, although without the leanness of the 2007s. Acidity is actually comparable to the 2008s, but this is not apparent as the extra weight of fruit renders the wines more round and enticing at this stage, but the freshness and minerality provide an elegance and balance which is extremely appealing. Altogether a wonderful vintage here. The top wines will undoubtedly age for 10 years or so, and there is much enjoyment to be had at village level within the next 2-3 years and the 1ers Crus will fill the gap in between nicely if you can wait that long! Classic Chablis lovers will prefer this vintage to the 2009, but there is undoubtedly something for everyone in 2010 as the vineyards provide clear variations of style, and there is the opportunity to drink magnificent Chablis at extremely affordable prices.

The Market demand for Chablis remains stable. The lower end of the market continues to battle with mass produced wine from around the globe, and a lot of mediocre wines compete in this arena. At the top end however, the producers with their eye on quality deservedly continue to succeed. From the consumer's point of view true bargains can be found in Chablis as, in the main, these top producers have not followed some of the other wine making regions and increased their pricing to stratospheric levels, despite the undoubted quality to be found. We always focus on the producers who we believe create delicious wines whatever the vintage conditions, who have an integrity anro prire in their work which shines through. This offering from Droin and Fèvre is highly recommended and will provide great pleasure for many years to come.

Basket

Menu

Customer services

About us

News & Events

Our other websites