Chermette's 2010 Bourgogne Blanc (sold outside the U.S. as Beaujolais Blanc, and in bottle only for two weeks when I tasted it) suggests brown-spiced cider wreathed in heliotrope and honeysuckle, all of which persist on a surprisingly rich, subtly creamy, yet still vivacious palate, with fresh apple, lime, and grapefruit emerging to render its sustained finish infectiously juicy and invigoratingly zesty. This is as fine a white as I can recall from Chermette, and as such an excellent value that should perform impressively over the next couple of years. Pierre Chermette - for more about whom, consult in particular my report in issue 184 - didn't start picking his 2010s until September 23rd, with Moulin-a-Vent and Fleurie Les Garants; and completed his harvest of the estate's majority Appellation Beaujolais vineyards on October 5. "Really, the quality was comparable to that of 2009," he asserts, "just at a full degree less alcohol and with higher acidity. Vinification was easy." Yields, he adds, were comparable, and only a slightly more stringent selection of fruit was required than in 2009.Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

Chermette’s 2009 Beaujolais Blanc smells of fresh apple and honeydew melon mingled with toasted hickory; caresses the palate with generously juicy but soft fruit; and finishes without mineral dimension but with bitter counterpoint from apple pip and toasted nut. Drink this appealing, vintage-typical Chardonnay over the next 6-9 months. Pierre Chermette – for more about whom, consult my report in issue 184 – picked his crus from September 7-15 and his vines in the South of Beaujolais the week following, managing to keep alcohols below 13.5%.Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800