The 2011 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru has a slightly pinched bouquet of cassis and red cherries with a hint of eau-de-vie in the background. The palate is pleasant and fleshy on the opening. Here is one the few Lechenaut wines that expresses Pinot Noir character and the finish is nicely balanced with succulent dark plum and blackberry sprinkled with a dash of white pepper. Fine. Drink now-2018. Domaine Lecheneaut own a scattering of parcels across the Cotes de Nuits since Fernand Lecheneaut acquired the holdings back in the 1960s. Since 1985, after their father fell ill, brothers Vincent and Philippe Lecheneaut have run the winery in Nuits-St.-Georges. They farm around 10-hectares of vine, a majority Pinot Noir, including prized vines in Clos de la Roche. The tenets here are for most bunches to be stemmed, depending on the quality of fruit, and aging in Francois Freres oak (up to half new), even for the village crus. As I am accustomed to doing, I appraised the wines before researching their elevage, and time and time again I noted a propensity for the wood to dominate these wines and denude them of personality and individuality. That was frustrating because when I did encounter a cuvee where the wood was singing from the same hymn sheet as the fruit, i.e., the Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, it stuck out like a sore thumb and exuded appealing fruit character, fine balance and a comparatively character-filled finish. Repeating my sentiment toward Maison Ambroise, if that new oak can be dialed down a little, then I am certain that Lecheneaut’s wines would sing more brightly. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

The 2010 Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru is deep and intense. Waves of dark red fruit flow from this big, extroverted Chambolle. Vincent Lecheneaut used 70% new oak here. While the new oak has given the wine considerable textural volume, it has also taken away much of the village character. It’s hard not to think this could have been materially more interesting with less new oak, but time will be the ultimate judge. The 1er Cru is made from vineyards in Les Borniques and Les Plantes. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030. This is a beautiful set of wines from Lecheneaut. The wines show marvelous detail and nuance in a highly attractive style that captures the best the vintage had to give. Unfortunately the 2010 Clos de la Roche was too reduced to evaluate. Vincent Lecheneaut began picking on September 24. The wines saw 5-6 days of old oak, followed by a cuvaison of 15-21 days. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, New York City; tel. (212) 239-1275