We have been tasting the 2010 base wines no fewer than three times in the past couple of months. It only confirms the first impressions we had at the end of the harvest. My feeling at this stage is that the 2010 vintage does not deserve the lukewarm comments by some. The Chardonnays have developed brilliantly, sometimes on the verge of over-ripeness (reminiscent in this of 2002) with a rich mouthfeel and a striking fruitiness. However Dom Pérignon is always an assemblage, and the other side of the picture is just as critical: the Pinot Noirs were carefully and properly sorted at the time of picking. They all display good structure and presence, but are maybe lacking a bit in freshness and vibrancy. It will be interesting to see how these Pinots evolve until we prepare the final assemblage in the early Spring of 2011. We will only then make up our mind: to declare or not to declare.
