The 2013 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchot-Dessus comes from their small 0.31 hectare parcel of vines. It has a tightly-knit bouquet at the moment, reluctantly revealing oyster shell and granitic scents with aeration. The palate is well balanced, quite elegant and harmonious, gliding across the mouth and finishing in understated style. This should drink well over the next decade.

The 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchot-Dessus has another very attractive bouquet with vibrant citrus fruit, orange peel and again that suggestion of mint and aniseed. The palate is clean and fresh: a mouth-filling Chassagne with light clear honey, quince and aniseed notes, building nicely toward a composed, vivacious finish. This is one of the best releases from the domaine this year. Excellent. Bruno Colin is the son of Michel Colin, who retired in 2003 and split the domaine between his two sons. There are approximately 8 hectares of vine, including a healthy supply of old vine material. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524 and also through Goedhuis & Co. (UK)

The 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet Blanchots Dessus is surprisingly closed at this stage. Usually much more expressive, even when young, today the Blanchots Dessus isn’t showing much. This is going to be an interesting wine to follow. The textured, inviting finish bodes well for the future, but today the Blanchots Dessus is all about potential. Anticipated maturity: 2014+. Bruno Colin reported that in 2010 his yields were down 10-15%, but adds some of his oldest plots were hit even harder, and came in 25-30% lower than normal. Overall, this is a solid set of wines, with plenty of vintage and site-specific character. The Bourgogne, St. Aubin Le Charmois and Chassagne villages were bottled before the 2011 harvest, while the rest of the wines were bottled in March 2012. Importers: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 299-2600, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

The 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Blanchots Dessus reveals gorgeous textural depth and plushness. It needs time to develop the full breadth of its aromas and flavors, but the wine’s length and persistence suggest it has the raw materials to grow nicely over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. Bruno Colin’s 2009s show quite a bit of freshness for the year. The harvest began early, on September 5. The malos were finished in between December 2009 and March 2010. The Bourgogne, St. Aubin En Charmois and Chassagne-Montrachet were bottled before the 2010 harvest, while the rest of the 2009s were bottled in March 2011. I tasted the 2010 Bourgogne Aligote, Bourgogne, St. Aubin En Charmois and Chassagne-Montrachet from steel, while the remainder of the 2010s were in barrel. Colin planned to rack the rest of the 2010s in July and bottle in the winter of 2011/2012. Importers: Diageo Chateau and Estate Wines Company, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524