2011 Burgundies from Bottle: Part V

This completes the five-part review of 2011 Burgundies from bottle; Part I is here; Part II is here; Part III is here; and Part IV is here.

PONSOT

2011 Chambolle-Musigny    1^er Cru     Charmes   92(+)/A

Ponsot’s Chambolle-Charmes is medium-weight with plenty of strawberry and red currant fruit of medium-depth. The wine is quite primary, though, so ideally I’d leave it to age for several more years.

Château de PULIGNY-MONTRACHET

2011 Meursault    1^er Cru   Porouzots   92+/A

This wine is crisp, fresh, and pure with a little nuttiness and medium-weight, plus overall sensuousness and voluptuousness to its red fruits, combined with cryrstallinity. I’d expect 2020-2050 to the period of peak drinking.

Domaine de la ROMANEE-CONTI                                                  ___

2011 Corton          96/A

2011 Vosne-Romanée 1^er Cru        94/A

2011 Echézeaux                              96/A

2011 Grands-Echézeaux                 96+/A

2011 Romanée-Saint-Vivant           97(+)/A+

2011 Richebourg                            97/A+

2011 La Tâche                                98/A+

2011 Romanée-Cont                       98/A+

2011 Montrachet                          97/A+

From bottle, these wines confirm my judgment from barrel, that is, that the 2011s at the Domaine entirely transcend the limitations of the vintage. This fact should surprise no one, for we’ve seen it in other recent vintages such as 2006, 2004, and 2001. The Corton is mineral pure and upright in the nose with red plum fruit. The mouth shows a beautiful texture with purity, medium weight, firmness, intense dark fruits, no overripeness, and in fact it is just short of austere. This is a Cistercian wine. As with the 2009 and 2010, it is unlike other Cortons that I know, but supremely wonderful. I’d expect 2031 to 2061 for prime drinking. The Vosne 1^er Cru is being sold only to certain restaurants in France. The nose is powerful and floral. The mouth is medium-full with red fruits of great precision. Tannins are present but round. It’s a wine that one can drink already with great pleasure, but I would guess it is capable of aging well for thirty years. The Echézeaux has been improving greatly in recent years and I cannot recall a better one than this one. It is floral in the nose, followed by dark fruit and Echézeaux earthiness on the palate. The wine is long, deep, and perfectly balance with opulence and sensuality. I’d look to 2025-2055 for prime drinking. The Grands-Echézeauxis floral with red cherries, smokiness, and typical black licorice in the nose. The mouth shows more finesse and a little less opulence than the Echézaux with dark berry fruit that is long. I’d look to 2025-2055 for prime drinking. The Romanée-Saint-Vivant has floral dark cherry scents. The mouth shows dark cherries, firmness, sensuality, depth, and perfect balance. There is some tannin here too. This is about as great as Romanée-Saint-Vivant can be. I’d expect 2028-2065 will be prime drinking time. The Richebourg is still closed in the nose. The mouth shows more concentration than that of the RSV and the dark plum fruit is relatively reserved for Richebourg today, but the wine nevertheless shows great depth and balance. The Tâche shows dark fruit that is deep and pure but not spicy in the nose. The spiciness hows in the mouth though, which is full and young with tannin and opulence. Nevertheless, the wine is closed for now compared to the others. I’d expect 2030-2070 for best drinking. Last of the reds, the Romanée-Conti is more opulent than usual and in comparison to the others except for the Tâche. The wine shows more density and dark fruit than usual and is deep, pure, and long.

The Montrachet shows honey and some fruit elements in the nose. The mouth is honeyed with glazed apples. The wine is less opulent than usual, but has great depth and all the elements for those willing to cellar it fifteen years or so.

Emmanuel ROUGET       

2011 Echézeaux         96/A

Rouget’s 2011 Echézeaux is magnificent. The wine is sensual and spicy with red and dark berry fruit. It is lively, pure, very precise, and fresh. It can be drunk with great pleasure now, but it also has the balance to age well. I asked Emmanuel Rouget about the difference between his wines and those of his legendary uncle, Henri Jayer. Emmanuel says he applies the principles of HJ but with the mentality of today. Accordingly, he raises the wines for 18-20 months, whereas Jayer raised them for 13-15 months. Emmanuel says he can do this because he has a colder cellar. He also says that for him, the acidity is more important than the sugar (potential alcohol) level.

G. ROUMIER            

2011 Chambolle-Musigny                         93/A+

2011 Chambolle-Musigny   1^er Cru     Cras                 95/A+

2011 Chambolle-Musigny   1^er Cru     Amoureuses      94+/A

Christophe Roumier is on a fantastic streak where he just doesn’t miss, no matter what the vintage conditions deal him. The village Chambolle has become very expensive – more than many a premier cru, but then it delivers quality that would be very good for a premier cru, not to mention a village wine. The wine is beautifully light and ethereal with great purity to its red fruit. I’d expect 2020-2040 to be best drinking. The Chambolle-Cras shows black licorice and minerality in the nose. The mouth is light and airy with pure dark fruit, length, structure, and again black licorice notes. I’d look to 2021-2051 for best drinking. Like the Chambolle, it is an extraordinary wine for its class. The Chambolle-Amoureuses shows typical floral and spicy aromas. The mouth is smooth and light with laciness, spice, and seemingly some oak still showing. It needs more time to achieve its full harmony, impressive as it is now. I’d look to 2021-2051+ for prime drinking.

A. ROUSSEAU Père & F. 

2011 Gevrey-Chambertin      90/A

2011 Gevrey-Chambertin   1^er Cru   Lavaux Saint-Jacques        90+/B+

2011 Clos de la Roche         93/A-

2011 Chambertin                  96/A

The Gevrey is salty with red fruits, a smooth texture, and a medium-weight body. The wine nevertheless is rather closed for the moment. I’d give it several years in the cellar. The Gevrey-Lavaux Saint-Jacques is smoother than the village wine with red fruits but no wildness. There is some tannin here. The Clos de la Roche is closed but stony in the nose. The mouth shows good density and penetration along with minerality to the fruits that are mostly red but with a little dark thrown in. The tannins are present, but not aggressive. This is one of the best Clos de la Roches I can recall from Rousseau. Last, the Chambertin is round, pure, and long with perfect balance. This wine needs time to develop, but it’s all here.

TRAPET Père & Fils/Jean et Jean-Louis TRAPET

2011 Gevrey-Chambertin                   90/A

2011 Gevrey-Chambertin   1^er Cru   Clos Prieur              91/A-

2011 Chambertin                   96/A

The Gevrey is smooth long and lovely with some tannin in reserve for aging. It is very pretty and fluid. To 2030. Trapet’s Gevrey-Clos Prieur needs some time to shake its reduction, so decant an hour or two in advance if you are going to serve it young. The wine is rich and rather voluptuous with some saltiness to its wild dark plum fruit and a smooth texture to go with its medium-full body. The wine may well close up, but should make good drinking from 2020-2040. The Chambertin shows lighter than the Gevrey village, to my surprise, but complete, pure, and lacy with rad fruits that are notably long. It is a finesse wine, as befits the vintage, and beautifully done.

Comte Georges de VOGUE        

2011 Chambolle-Musigny                   92/A

2011 Chambolle-Musigny    1^er Cru       94/A

2011 Bonnes-Mares                 96/A

2011 Musigny    vieilles vignes         97/A+

The splendid quality of de Vogüé’s 2011s that showed in barrel is confirmed by these bottled wines. The Chambolle is dark, a touch earthy, and complex in the nose. The mouth is intense with dark fruit, tannins, and more obvious structure than appeared when tasting the 2012 from barrel on the same visit. There is plenty of minerality to go with the dark fruit and great length here. The Chambolle 1^er Cru, as always, is made from Musigny fruit from vines that are less than 25 years old. The nose shows more depth and complexity than the Chambolle. The mouth is dark, intense, pure, sensual, and mineral. The structure is less obvious here than in the village wine because this wine is more complete. Tremendous length here and very good spiciness. The Bonnes-Mares is from the southern portion of the vineyard, where the soils give a finer wine than further north, but it is nothing short of spectacular. The nose and mouth are rounder and more frank than those of the previous wines, and the wine shows excellent balance and finesse with depth and length. I’d look to 2024-2051+ for prime drinking. Last, the Musigny is complex, floral, and spicy in ever-changing combinations in the nose. The mouth is light, intense, and pure with dark fruits that float above the tongue, but the wine also shows substance and great length. It teases because there is so much there already, but so much more to come. 2030-2060 for prime drinking.