We decided to look comprehensively NSG. We managed to get all wines from a single vintage (2010) and no vineyard was repeated. All wines were tasted and scored blind.
Bracket #1
2010 Louis Boillot Pruliers
2010 Sylvian Cathiard Aux Murgers
2010 Robert Chevillon Les Cailles
2010 Alain Michelot La Richemone
My Ranking: 1-2-3-4
Group Ranking: 1-4-3-2
All wines were extremely good. Not much separating the top and bottom wine. Very refined set of wines. No rusticity. Elegant bracket.
Bracket #2
2010 Odoul Coquard Les Argillats
2010 Jean Chauvenet Les Vaucrains
2010 Mugneret- Gibourg Les Vignes Rondes
2010 Jean Chauvenet Les Perrieres
My Ranking: 4-1-2-3
Group Ranking: 3-2-1-4
Slightly bigger wines. Greater depth and a bit more tannin showing. More NSG in their feel but all have exquisite balance. Again all extremely good with not much of a qualitative difference between them. A more stylistic choice in the ranking.
Bracket #3
2010 Robert Chevillon Les St Georges
2010 Alain Michelot Aux Champs-Perdrix
2010 Faiveley Aux Chaignots
2010 Jean Grivot Aux Boudots
My Ranking: 1-2-3-4
Group Ranking: 2-1-3-4
The Chevillon and Michelot were much better than the latter two. A bigger gap than in the first two bracket. Especially the Boudots was unanimously down pointed by all. Faiveley also lacked elegance and finesse.
Opening 2010 1er crus at 7 years of age? I need to keep an opened mind.
Do you think the best wines are to be drunk now while the lesser ones need more time or do you think these characteristics will stay for a long time?
2010s for the most part are still attractive to drink, due largely to their refined tannins and balance. Enjoying some now does not equate with thinking the best - or even ones that are less than the “best” - are to be drunk now, as i suspect you know. Personally, i often open bottles that I know will not be mature or even close to it as I like to explore how they are developing or I simply feel like drinking a youngish wine. Would I open a 2005 at age 7 (or 6 to be more accurate)? No. But that is because the style of that vintage suggested to me that an 05 would not be enjoyable. 2010 is a whole 'nother story.
NSG can be under appreciated especially compared with its Northern neighbour and well worth seeking out.
The wines looked really good. 2010 is still looking open and inviting. Even the L-S-G and the Vaucrains had a greater degree of refinement than I have experienced before.