95+ POINTS

Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2010 | The 2010 Clos des Goisses shows a distinctly tropical, exotic profile that is unusual in Clos des Goisses. Candied orange peel, passionfruit, burnt sugar, mint and yellow flowers all meld together in the glass. Lush fruit, low-ish acid and soft contours add to the wine’s soft, open-knit feel. Time in the glass brings out more lifted, perfumed notes that add to the wine’s overall appeal. Two-thousand-ten presented significant challenges in the vineyard, including high disease pressure that required quite a bit of sorting. The blend is 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay (a bit more Chardonnay than normal), while production is just 5,000 bottles. Clos des Goisses has an extraordinary track record, so ordinarily I would not suggest opening wines young, but the 2010 is a rare exception. That said, it needs 1-2 hours of air to show at its best at this early stage of its life.