Thanks!!
I’m not Sam, but will wade in. . .
Hudelot-Noellat (100% de-stemmed)
Arnoux-Lachaux (high % whole cluster)
L’Arlot (high % whole cluster)
Jadot (value)
Bouchard (value)
FIFY
Thanks Larry!
A bit surprised at some of the comments here. I bought a bunch of both vintages back in the day, and went through a few bottles. I find 2009 way more open at the moment; most wines I’ve tried are too young for my liking, but at least the 2009 were enjoyable and rather open. Most 2010 I’ve had are tight knit and while in some cases you can guess the wine will be great given proper aging, the majority was disappointing.
If I were to buy for immediate drinking, I would certainly buy 2009 before 2010 (price being the same etc.)
It’s a bit like 2005, all producers consider it was great blablablah, yet 99% of TNs say not ready, closed down, “will they open someday?”, etc.
Alain
I couldn’t disagree more.
In my experience 2009 are still quite youthful, fruit driven, and will outlive many of us. I really like them.
2010 is more red fruited, lithe, acidic, and has begun taking on tertiary characteristics. It was great young, is still great, and will continue its greatness for many years.
So far, I’ve preferred 2010’s pretty consistently through their lives. I suspect that will still be true in ten years. But someday 2009 will eclipse 2010. Maybe.
My sense is that one should taste some 2009s and 2010s and see which you like better. Friends who tend to like bigger, softer wines seem to like 2009s more while friends who like structure and freshness in the wines tend to like 2010 more.
For example, I know a couple of people who really like 2009s who also like softer, lower acid vintages in Bordeaux like 1985 and 1990. For me, I love the 2010s I have tasted. I loved them when I first tasted some in barrel when I was in Burgundy in 2011 and I love them now. I still have not found any of my better ones to be anywhere close to mature but I cannot wait until they are.
Hi Paul,
Hudelot Noellat, Prieure Roche, Charles Lachaux and Sylvain Cathiard are all fantastic. Hudelot Noellat Suchots 2010 was really quite special. Had the balanced richness from the vintage, the subtlety from the vineyard, plus the HN-special silky mouthfeel. Just beautiful. Needs like 4+ hours of air though.
Haven’t had other producer’s interpretation of Suchots from the 2010 vintage but I’m sure they are all great. Let me know if you try any of them! I would love to hear your thoughts.
Recently loving Jadot for its transparency of the vineyard characteristics and for its price.
Haven’t tried Arnoux Lachaux, L’Arlot or Bouchard.
Hope this helps.
I tasted at Jadot in 2011 and we had a bevy of 2010 barrel samples, including the Suchots. All the wines we had there were fabulous. In fact, on my trip in 2011, the barrel samples of 2010 from the different wineries we visited were the best barrel samples I have tasted in my trips to Burgundy.
Wow, some expensive stuff.
Jadot less so.
Are you familiar with Confuron-Cotetidot? They make a Suchots that I’m seeing on an auction site in a 2014 and the price range is certainly more reasonable…
There’s a saying about Burgundy - producer, producer, producer! Top tier vineyards (like Suchots) from top tier producers are going to be expensive. And you’ll also find when the price on a wine from a top tier vineyard seems to be enticing, there’s usually a good reason - there’s lots of middling producers who make subpar wines in Burgundy.
Many say if you have to choose, you’re better off getting a lower end wine from a great producer than looking for bargain producers making wine from lauded vineyards - the latter usually disappoint.
Although I will admit Sam’s suggestions for Suchots had me chuckle a bit as they are the highest priced producers you could find, L’Arlot is a good choice and Jadot/Bouchard, while they won’t give you the best experience, will be better than average. Berthaut-Gerbet, Pillot, Millot are other good options. The cheapest one I can recommend would be Chezeaux.
Thanks for this!
Hi Howard,
You bring a good point I missed! My love for the vintage can be blinding it seems. I only spoke about my own preference.
I can definitely sympathize with the '09 lovers being fond of softer and lower acid Bordeaux vintages. There are wines for everyone, vintages alike.
Yes, they are not fully mature yet but very difficult to resist for sure!
I haven’t tried Jadot’s entire 2010 lineup but I especially adore the Chapelle-Chambertin.
Didn’t intend to list the highest priced producers but I did… Just listed what I tried and liked the most. I usually drink at much lower price points but I couldn’t resist to try best Suchots it seems.
Haven’t had their Suchots but they make muscular, structured wines. Great producer, personally skeptical about the vintage as I had very few good 2014 reds. Just a personal experience and opinion!
If I remember what I tasted that time (I was there a few times), I think my favorite that time was the GC Clos St. Jacques.
I had a range of wines when I visited (white and red) but certainly not their entire lineup. To have their entire lineup, I think I would still be there.
Wow, Clos St. Jacques does sound like a plot to do well in 2010. Hopefully one day I’ll get to try it
I’ve had 2 genuinely great '10 Jadot Suchots and 2 that were just ok. It’s not a domaine wine and not one to buy every year, but it was cheap and reviewed very well in 2010, not sure what is causing the bottle variation.
The 2010 Jadot’s I purchased (and still have) were Beaune Clos des Couchereaux, Beaune Clos des Ursules, CM Les Baudes, GC Clos St. Jacques, Corton-Pougets, Pommard Rugiens, SLB Dominode, and Volnay Clos de la Barre (mostly in 2s and 3s)
Looks like I have Ursules, Fuees, Corton-Pougets, and Gevrey CSJ in addition to the Suchots. '09 Fuees was fine a year ago, but Ursules was so closed I won’t sample any more 2010s for 5 years.