The 2012 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie is reticent and bolshie on the nose – it does not want to come out and play, like the village cru at this stage. The palate is crisp on the entry with decent fruit concentration, but here, I am missing the tension and nervosite that forms the basis of the finest Chassagnes of the appellation. Drink now-2018. 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)

One of the more reticent wines in this lineup, the 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet La Maltroie nevertheless impresses for its overall balance, not to mention its considerable potential. A burst of slate, flint and crushed rocks hits the palate, until the fruit begins to emerge. The 2010 needs time in bottle for the fruit to fully flesh out within the wine’s broad-shouldered frame. I especially like the intensity of the finish here. Anticipated maturity: 2013+. 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 La Maltroie bursts from the glass with generous, opulent fruit. The Maltroie is a radiant, expressive wine graced with gorgeous depth and richness. Despite its exuberance, at times, the Maltroie gives the impression of being somewhat closed in on itself (if that makes sense), suggesting it needs further time in bottle to reveal the full breadth of its pedigree. 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