The 2010 Meursault Les Petits Charrons is ripe, fat and explosive in the glass. This is a decidedly muscular style, with tons of depth in its yellow stone fruit and plenty of intensity. The wine’s precision comes through beautifully on the strikingly pure, mineral-infused finish. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. Arnaud Ente began picking very early, on September 1st. The 2009s spent approximately one year in oak, followed by six months in steel. New oak was around 25%. The 2009s were bottled in March 2010 with no fining or filtration.. I tasted the 2010s from oak. Both vintages are very strong.Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

The 2009 Meursault Les Petits Charrons is a big Burgundy that captures the essence of this warm vintage in its radiant, expressive fruit. There is no shortage of textural depth, richness or gravitas in this forward, engaging wine. This is a fairly overt style, and one that will deliver considerable pleasure right out of the gate. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. Arnaud Ente began picking very early, on September 1st. The 2009s spent approximately one year in oak, followed by six months in steel. New oak was around 25%. The 2009s were bottled in March 2010 with no fining or filtration.. I tasted the 2010s from oak. Both vintages are very strong.Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Smoky, toasty notes – only a portion of which can be traceable to the wine's 25% new wood – commence in the nose with Ente’s old vines 2007 Meursault Les Petits Charrons and follow it all the way through its long finish. Roasted hazelnut, buckwheat, and meat-stock like richness all reminiscent of the 2006 mark the glycerin-rich, oleaginous palate. This finishes with low-toned restraint that some might consider somber, but the combined effect of citrus zest, salt, smoke, and umami-rich broth combines to engender a sense of invigoration. It should be quite fascinating to pursue this over the next 4-5 years, and I would not be at all surprised to see its dark veil part to reveal further beauty. Arnaud Ente began picking September 2, but although he is nearly always a partisan of early harvest, this one was spread out over nearly two weeks to optimize the aggregation of clarity and sufficient ripeness. That said, high acidity – including a sizeable share of malic acid – remained a common denominator and higher than in 2004 because, in Ente's words, "there was no heat during the summer to burn it off." His malo-lactic fermentations, however, were finished already in mid-winter. Natural alcohol levels were low – predictably, given both the vintage and Ente's strategy and preferences – not exceeding 12.5%, and only the Aliogte was chaptalized. For Ente, vintages without hot summer weather are simply the more interesting and enjoyable, thanks in large part precisely to their higher acidity and lower alcohol.Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524

A portion of old, low yielding vines and very low yields appear to me what makes it reasonable that Ente’s 2006 Meursault Les Petits Charrons – a wine of village ranking – be served after his Gouttes d’Or premier cru. Once again, we have an understated (yet striking) wine, featuring “cool” herbal, white peach, and citrus characteristics, in this instanced with intriguing hints of mushroom stock, wet stone, and a savory, saline, umami-rich note that – when allied to the citrus – makes for a positively Pavlovian finish. The texture here is subtly oily yet the overall impression is sleek and fleet-footed. This should be fascinating for follow for at least 5-7 years. Ente began picking September 13, finishing in six days. The result is wines of consistent clarity and refreshment, as well as full of nuances that call forth a mineral vocabulary. Use of demi-muids rather than barriques to raise many of the wines here helps ward off any overt woodiness. Eighty percent of Ente’s wine is exported, most of that to the U.S. and U.K.Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524