The 2009 Pommard Les Arvelets wafts from the glass with sweet dried cherries, dried flowers and spices. In 2009 the Arvelets comes across as delicate and even a touch fragile despite its considerable fleshiness. I would prefer to drink the wine sooner rather than later. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. Remoissenet’s 2009 reds from bottle showed beautifully the two times I tasted them. The sweet spot is in the top premier crus, the best of which approach the level of the grand crus, but at friendlier prices. Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392-6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292-5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312-8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291-1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460

The 2009 Pommard Les Arvelets opens with an intensely spiced bouquet. This is an especially lush, juicy wine packed with fruit. The oak is quite prominent today. It will be interesting to see the direction the Arvelets takes over the next few years. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027. I tasted a wide range of wines with winemaker Claudie Jobard and president Pierre-Antoine Rovani, one of my predecessors at The Wine Advocate. Remoissenet has undergone a significant face lift under the guidance of Rovani and a new ownership team headed by a group of American investors. today's wines are made in an overt, fruit-forward style. Overall I found most of the best reds to be those made from estate owned fruit, while the wines made from purchased fruit are in most cases still works in progress, not surprising considering how much has changed here in a relatively short time span. Remoissenet favors low yields in the vineyards (estate vineyards are farmed biodynamically), harvests late and vinifies with long but gentle fermentations. The estate is not shy in using new oak to give the wines additional volume, including 100% new barrels for all the Grand Crus. Many of the entry-level 2009s were bottled early to preserve softness. I tasted the remaining wines from barrel.Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, Bertin Henri Selections, Doral, FL; tel. (305) 392 6995, Cavatappi Distribuzione, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 292 5226, Dark Star Imports, New York, NY; tel. (646) 312 8921, Arborway Imports, Lexington, MA; tel. (781) 862-0515, United Wine and Spirits, Houston, TX; tel. (713) 696-9463, D.G.L. Distributors, Northbrook, IL; tel. (847) 291- 1110, The Sorting Table, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 603-1460