Reflecting a selection from 40 year old vines in their large share of this celebrated site Vacheron's 2010 Sancerre Les Romains initially proved reduced and reticent when I confronted it in April and alkaline wet stone notes lent an aura of austerity both in the nose and on the palpably firm dense though expansive palate. Apple lemon and kumquat emerge with airing as the dominant fruits with piquancy of pip and rind allied to nut oils and stone in the persistent finish. It's hard not to be impressed here even if one is far from being charmed or seduced. Perhaps time (possibly even short-term) will bring enhanced juiciness. Barring that I suspect this will be best drunk over the next 4-6 years rather than having the aging potential of the best wines of its collection. (Incidentally elevage here too was primarily in wooden upright.) 90+ --- David Schildknecht