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返回 2011 Burgundy – Reviewing the First Class Cabin

於 2022年7月29日刊登

By Linden Wilkie, 29 July 2022

To judge the airline travel experience by a first class seat would give a rather skewed, and certainly privileged view, don’t you think? Recently I had the chance to do just that sort of assessment of the 2011 Burgundy vintage – a rarified view of the top tier wines. HKer Richard Orders laid on most of the bottles, with former HKer Nigel Bruce and Jasper Morris MW providing others – the final line up was amazing.

The tasting, MC’ed by Jasper, took place in Burgundy in the ancient stone home in of Russell Hone and his late wife Becky Wasserman/Hone. Becky is most famous for pioneering the export of domaine Burgundy to the US, and launching the careers of the likes of Christophe Roumier in the process, but she is also known and much loved by many HKers through her hospitality at home in Bouilland, and for the Burgundy symposiums she hosted hosted there with Jasper. 

With a line up of some of the best labels imaginable, it was no surprise to see Jancis Robinson MW, Anthony Hanson MW, Robin Kick MW, Allen Meadows and other wine luminaries make a the appropriate gap in their diaries and attend. With so many taking notes on the wines, the cool stone-insulated room took on a library-like feeling of quiet and silence – turned on its head as we gathered around a picnic table later in full summer-like sun to polish off the remains over lunch.

The 2011s
I find in the reds sometimes that the ‘11s can lack a little depth and complexity compared to the more classic long-haul ‘10s, the cool but sophisticated ‘13s – or even the supple and open ‘14s. They can be more jolly than the more dour ‘12s, but then again I have no recent memory of any ‘serious’ ‘11s (though Mike Wu and I had our first Burgundy road trip together in 2012, so we tasted many of these from barrel). This tasting however left me with the sense that – at this elevated level anyway – there are 2011 reds worth our attention. Some are beginning to drink quite well, none seemed to be tiring, and most seemed to have the potential for more to be delivered from cellaring. Relatively good prices mean they are a good hunting ground, and having had my view of them raised by the quality I saw at this event, I will be paying more attention to them as targets in future.

The 2011 whites on the other hand I have always enjoyed. This seems a classic, well-balanced vintage, and most are now ready to go. The few whites at this event confirmed this view, while (pleasantly) surprising some of the other tasters.

Jancis recently covered this same tasting at the FT, and on jancisrobinson, and she gives some good notes on the 2011 vintage conditions, which were sufficiently challenging to separate the top tier estates from the less strict.

My own tasting notes below are in the order tasted, expertly sequenced by Jasper. I’ve put an * next to any we have for sale, but do also take a look at our full list of Burgundy 2011s below – we have a wide selection in stock.

2011 Meursault ‘Clos de la Barre’ Domaine des Comtes Lafon 
A fresh aromas, gently honeyed, pip fruit and mineral notes; a creamy frame, a fine core of acidity, this shows freshness and focus, and is long and delicious and ready.
92

2011 Meursault, Domaine Coche-Dury
Pale gold; a fine nose, some typical Coche reduction, and some evolution too, this smells mature; citrusy and oily on the palate, moderate concentration and focus, a smoky note, lemony tanginess, balanced, and there is an oily essency intensity, some nuttiness on the finish. Classic Coche, fully ready to go. 
92

2011 Meursault ‘Tessons, Clos de Mon Plaisir’, Domaine Roulot
A subdued nose with a note of resin; a juicy core to this, the acidity is more to the fore – almost too lean after the other too, the early-picked style lacks some joy after the other two which have upstaged it. Low key, good, but doesn’t sing.
91

2011 Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Etienne Sauzet
A fine nose, fresh, complex, expressive, quite elegant; good concentration and ripeness on the palate, plump with a nice juiciness, a grander style, this is well-balanced though there is a touch of warmth at the end, the freshness and elegance winning out over the grandness. 
94

2011 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, Domaine Leflaive
A fine creamy nose, crème patisserie, low key and fresh and clean; taut on the palate with a lot in reserve, creamy with a great spine and sense of structure. Coming back to it at room temperature, the bottle open a couple of hours and sloshed around a lot by tasters, it had opened to its full open and creamy scale. This is top class CM from Leflaive, just stretching its legs. 
95

2011 Montrachet Grand Cru ‘Marquis de Laguiche’, Joseph Drouhin
Gorgeous nose, scented and fresh, ripe apples; concentrated apple fruit, beautifully balanced, grand, creamy, quite open and ready, though no sense of rush. There is an impressive palate presence here, and length, with nothing feeling overdone or overplayed. 
95

2011 Volnay 1er Cru ‘Clos des Chênes’, Domaine Michel Lafarge
Pale and limpid in the glass; a low key nose of strawberry confit and earth; delicious confit red fruits on the attack, a touch of cherry, some leather notes, though it is fairly tender and supple. It just feels a bit scrunched up even after 10 years in bottle – needs another 5 or so it seems.
90

2011 Volnay 1er Cru ‘Clos des Ducs’ Monopole, Domaine Marquis d’Angerville
Light and clear; gently scented and sweet on the nose, a little closed; there’s good amplitude here, fruit complexity and spice on the palate, elegant, with a well-contained shape, coats the palate well, and there is some nice savoury counter-balance that makes it morish. It’s also now drinking well – just a little more time to hit its peak.
92

2011 Pommard 1er Cru ‘Les Croix Noires’, Domaine Louis Boillot
Bright light garnet; low key red fruit and a touch of resin on the nose; juicy, bright attack, a little coarse and chewy at the end. Ok, not great.
87

2011 Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, Domaine des Lambrays
Pale limpid ruby; a subtle nose, some musk, florals and savouriness; supple on the palate with a light intensity of fruit, there’s a little dryness, and it is missing a little fruit oomph in the mid-palate. This is ok, but misses Lambray’s full potential. The impression is dulled a bit, the fruit fading prematurely around its structure before its really getting going. A sulky bottle? In any case a – relative – disappointment.
90

2011 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, Benjamin Leroux
Clear and bright garnet; fresh aromas, spicy, a touch of unresolved oak still on the nose, but it is attractive overall; really good flesh on the palate, spice, lushness yet also delicacy, and an expansive finish full of spice and detail. Really satisfying, fairly elegant Clos St-Denis. Very good.
93

2011 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, Domaine Leroy
Mid garnet with a few small specs of fine sediment; very pretty fruit on the nose, nutty Leroy oak signature still an exposed element, grand yet elegant aroma; ripe, supple-textured and delicious on the palate, with good concentration, this is the first red in the tasting to ‘ooze’ in any way so far, there’s an elegant yet definite sense of concentration and depth, it is still a little tight, but it offers already great fragrance, is supple, pure and ripe. Lovely wine.
95

2011 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Domaine François Bertheau
Some colour evolution; a red fruit and wet wool sort of nose, some spice, evolved and really open; good flesh and there is some liveliness to this, good fat balanced by good acidity, it bounces along. Nice complexity. The finish drops off a bit. This is ready to go, drinking well. 91

2011 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Domaine G. Roumier
A bright and fresh colour, still sporting a glint of youthful carmine; a really fine and pure aroma, still so fresh and youthful; just superb on the palate, such purity of fruit here, a fine well-delineated shape, a long, perfumed finish that really lingers. And for all that there is also a sense of more yet to yield with further cellaring. This is clearly top notch, and worth cellaring further. A stand out wine.
98

2011 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac *
Fine fresh clear ruby; closed on the nose, with a leafy note, some florals, but it takes some swirling of the glass to get this to come forth; good flesh on the palate, spice, and satisfying concentration in the mid-palate. It’s fairly closed though still. Good, just not ready.
93+

2011 Musigny Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
Sadly completely corked.

2011 Musigny Grand Cru, Joseph Drouhin
Pale and clear; a very fine nose, superbly elegant; ethereal and scented, so delicate there’s almost no sense of shape or weight. This is really lovely. Ready now, will go on and on.
95

2011 Musigny Grand Cru, Domaine de la Vougeraie
A fine mid-depth colour; roses, musk on the nose, more opulent in style after the Drouhin; good fruit, depth, a little oak and gloss to the feel here, it also has its feet on the ground, this is more gourmand Musigny, lovely fruit, spice, perfume, well balanced and just coming into drinking now. Very good.
94

2011 Clos des Ruchottes Grand Cru Monopole, Domaine Armand Rousseau
Something of a connoisseur’s wink of a wine, this usually occupies 4th spot in the Rousseau range behind Chambertin/Bèze and the Clos St Jacques, and can sometimes take 3rd spot. It’s also the more elegant and red-fruited end of the Gevrey ranges of expressions. It was widely liked at this tasting.
Fine clear pale ruby; red fruit and spice, mineral notes on the nose, a touch of leaf; fine on the palate, still quite taut, it is elegant to light weight in feel, with great minerality, it doesn’t quite have a the intensity of a great Clos des Ruchottes, but the frame is well-covered, this is cerebral wine and sheer class. 
94

2011 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Fourrier *
Bright, fresh colour; wild fruit and spice on the nose, confit richness; lovely fruit on the palate, small berries and red cherries, spice and a good intensity of flavour, very fine ripe structure. Impressive. It is quite packed and tasting still a little on the young side, but this is supple and assured.
95

2011 Griottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Joseph Roty
Mid-deep colour, still full; a rich nose, dark-toned and a bit oaky; rich and chewy on the palate, a bit over-extracted in feel, spicy, chewy, it is perfectly tasty in a hearty style.
91

2011 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, Lucien Le Moine
Bright and light in colour; spicy, earthy, open aroma, the fruit is muted a little; juicy candied fruit, a glossy feel, tasty but a bit simple for this grand level, lacks delicacy or nuance. Tasty.
89

2011 Mazis-Chambertin, Lucien Le Moine
Fine, full colour; ripe and spicy, with a touch of menthol or dried mint on the nose, leather and bark notes too; intense on the attack, packed with dark spicy fruit that is a little candied in taste, this is glossy-toned, oaky and thick. A potent Mazis that works better than the Griotte, but it feels a bit dessicated.
90

2011 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, Domaine Bruno Clair
Fine clear mid-tone colour, limpid, fresh appearance; lovely nose, dark fruit, spice, earth, this is expressive and complex on the nose; supple-textured, with really satisfying flesh, nuance, spice – a touch of cola-like flavour, wonderfully-shaped, supple, grand, delicious and gourmand. Lovely wine.
94

2011 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru ‘Aux Malnconsorts’, Domaine Sylvain Cathiard
Fine mid-colour; grand, ripe, spicy, a very Leroy-like nutty oak note; lush, spicy, very fine tannins with some grip, grand but yielding mouthfeel, sexy style wine. It all works.
93

2011 Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru ‘Aux Malnconsorts’, Domaine de Montille
Bright clear fullish colour; fine fruit, unevolved, some new leather; spicy on the palate, quite concentrated, dark fruit, leather, sticky-textured and full in style. Chew finish – too chewy? It’s simply not ready and didn’t much like being woken up, but it is packed, so perhaps it will work out.
90+?

2011 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux *
Fine, cldar, dark-toned colour; dark, chewy, spicy; lush and fruity on the palate, spicy and gorgeous, fleshy, yet there is also the RSV delicacy here. This is seductive wine, ample but balanced, drinking well, with a long finish. Great fin.
94

2011 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Clear fresh colour, mid ruby; wonderful nose, lovely fruit, florals, spices, musk, a complex, still fresh-faced aroma; elegant on the palate with a taste and fragrance of spice, flowers, wet earth and bark, lovely delicate red fruit. This has a silky texture, is really elegant, with a beautiful expression. 
96

2011 Richebourg Grand Cru, Domaine Jean Grivot
Fine clear ruby; rich fruit and spice nose; lush, fresh, good energy in this, a bit closed and unresolved still, but there is good fruit, freshness and energy. But do wait for it – this is ripe, full, even a touch on the warm side, and offers a long spicy finish. It’s just a little closed still.
93+

2011 La Romanée Grand Cru Monopole, Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair *
Fine clear ruby; gently cooked red and dark berries, a leafy element – mossy, classic La Romanée fresh coolness; ample fruit on the palate, attractive, very melting and silky-textured, some musk, and that cool mossy note mingle on the palate with plenty of inner mouth fragrance. The palate feels delicate and close to the terroir. There is a long finish that is both melting and a touch sherberty. It’s delicious. It’s also all integrated and expressive and could be enjoyed now, and it has the balance and depth to age further.
95

2011 La Tâche Grand Cru, Monopole, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti *
Fine clear mid-ruby; a pretty aroma, roses, red fruit, lilacs, leaf, wet earth. There’s both complexity and subtlety on the nose; supple-textured, red berry and cherry, good flesh, earth and leaf note, this is balanced and supple, with a lot going on, and it is only just getting going. If there is a question mark, it is that the sense of definition is not quite as clear and precise as top year of La Tâche, and I think I would pick the Domaine’s RSV if forced to make a choice. But I’m splitting hairs, and La Tâche is known for benefitting from long cellaring. So let’s see! 
95