2011 White Burgundy
Learn more about 2011 White Burgundy
Careful vignerons who judged their picking dates intelligently have produced a healthy crop of delicious white wines in the 2011 Burgundy vintage, with some flesh on the palate and good acidity, very nicely balanced for medium term ageing.
They have the fresh aspect of 2007 wines but a little more weight. We can report very good results from Mâcon and Chablis as well. Another clear character of the year, for both colours, is how well the wines reflect the characteristics of their appellations and indeed their vineyards. There is certainly admirable precision offered by many wines this year.
Read here the 2011 Vintage Report on Red Burgundy wines.
The Weather
A moderately severe winter, though without the deep freeze of the previous year, ended early and a fine spring was ushered in from the middle of March. The wind patterns were unusual, blowing mainly from the north (the benchmark wind on Palm Sunday), cool and dry – or veering right round to the south, warm and dry. The flowering in the white wine vineyards was more successful than the reds.
The first flowers were seen as early as May 10th, almost exactly the same as in 2007, and properly looked after vineyards were bursting with health. There was a long term fear for the build up of drought problems however, especially if the season was to develop along 1976 lines.
But, as in 2007, May was a little cooler than April and with a few more showers, occasionally storms. The village sages were talking of a hot and stormy summer – apparently the magpies were nesting close to the houses which they do when storms are in the offing! Useful rain followed in early June rapidly followed by a hosepipe ban which immediately brought more rain and questions as to whether this could be the same deteriorating pattern as 2007.
The sun came back with a vengeance at the end of June, flirting with 40°C, and causing some grilling of the grapes. The first week in July was dry too, bringing thoughts of 1976 back into view. When it rained, solidly and evenly without stormy side effects on Thursday 7th July, the growers were thrilled but further rain over the next few days was less welcome and the whole month of July proved to be cooler and wetter than usual.
Overall the season was less stormy than expected apart from minor hail in Corton-Charlemagne (20th May), Gevrey-Chambertin (23rd July) and Puligny-Montrachet, plus one really devastating storm in Rully on 12th July following a more minor attack in June. August began clear and sunny but the July pattern of showery days returned with temperatures below or approaching the seasonal norm. There was little sustained rain except on Friday 26th with many growers starting to pick the following week in the good weather which returned.
Jasper Morris MW, BBR Buyer
Jasper divides his time between England and Burgundy. His unique position led him to write the ultimate guide to the vineyards of the region, Inside Burgundy. Described as “the greatest reference work of our generation” by Bill Nanson (www.burgundyreport. com), and “an essential book for anyone remotely interested in the region and its wines” by Neal Martin (www.erobertparker.com), this outstandingly detailed book, in 656 pages, covers one thousand specific vineyards, from Grands Crus to obscure plots.
Jasper Morris MW’s award-winning classic volume ‘Inside Burgundy’ is now available as a series of beautifully designed, interactive, Multi- Touch eBooks for the iPad and iPad Mini.
Prices:
Bottle
£22.00
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Dominique Lafon’s Mâcon project has been performing to a very high standard during the last several vintages. The wines show all the qualities you would expect from a master winemaker, yet there is no sense at all that he is trying to Côte d’Or wines here. Each cuvée stands out with its own personal characteristics, be it the grace of Clos de la Crochette, the weight of Viré-Clessé or the mineral tension of Clos du Four.
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director
Pierre Vincent’s reputation has been blossoming over the last few vintages, as critic’s rate his wines increasingly highly and repeated success at the International Wine Challenge has been rewarded with the Len Evans Trophy for consistency over 5 years. Pierre is looking to major on delicacy while building persistence, to which end the new oak component is being reduced and the whole bunch fermentation percentage increased. The Vougeraie 2011s were picked over 12 days, beginning on the 31st August.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Arnaud and Marie-Odile Ente have produced really concentrated wines in 2011, with the same yield as they enjoyed in 2010. The vineyards were farmed organically and the grapes were picked earlier than their neighbours, as usual, because the extraordinarily meticulous viticulture produced ripe grapes with the fine acidity that Arnaud cherishes. We also noted a clear step up in the quality of red wines this year.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Magnum 1 x 150cl 1cs
The fruit here is generous and vibrant whilst the mouthfeel is pleasingly full. A fine mineral acidity provides the drive and the impressively long finish.
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Manager
This Puligny-Montrachet displays very good volume this year, with grapes from right across the appellation. It has a lovely quality too, with several layers of fruit beautifully interweaved and attractive acidity, a little touch of orange blossom and good length.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director
Assrt x 6 1 x 450cl 1cs
Assrt x 6 1 x 450cl 1cs
Assrt x 6 1 x 450cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director
Arnaud and Marie-Odile Ente have produced really concentrated wines in 2011, with the same yield as they enjoyed in 2010. The vineyards were farmed organically and the grapes were picked earlier than their neighbours, as usual, because the extraordinarily meticulous viticulture produced ripe grapes with the fine acidity that Arnaud cherishes. We also noted a clear step up in the quality of red wines this year.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Arnaud and Marie-Odile Ente have produced really concentrated wines in 2011, with the same yield as they enjoyed in 2010. The vineyards were farmed organically and the grapes were picked earlier than their neighbours, as usual, because the extraordinarily meticulous viticulture produced ripe grapes with the fine acidity that Arnaud cherishes. We also noted a clear step up in the quality of red wines this year.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director The lower sugar levels of 2011 suit the Drouhin style and most wines came in at no more than 12.5%, but with a good acid balance. A small percentage of stems were used in 2011, according to the Drouhin’s positive selection method, and grapes deemed worthy of whole bunch fermentation were chosen on the sorting table. We have added two new selections this year, a beautiful village Savigny and a new contract for Drouhin, Chambertin Clos de Bèze. The wines have put on weight in barrel and most will be bottled by the end of 2012. Look out for the very fine whites this year as well.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director Patrick began the harvest on 23rd August, evidently an exceptionally early date, but he notes that the wines taste as if picked a month later. They are very expressive of terroir differences, as exemplified by the contrasting Clos du Cromin and Tillets cuvées. There are few growers as skilled in the cellar as Patrick is, and it shows in the quality of this fine range of 2011s.
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director During the last year, Etienne de Montille, who has run Château de Puligny-Montrachet for the last decade, bought out the previous owners. 2012 will therefore be the first vintage of the new regime and also the first which will be fully certified organic after completion of the necessary three years. In 2011 the Château has produced a good crop of white wines, with old-fashioned low alcohol levels in both the reds and whites: wines originally found to be around 12% abv have been adjusted to 12.5% abv, anything above that was untouched.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Gary Owen - Private Account Manager
Somewhat softer and rounder than Les Tillets, this wine has a little more weight on the mid-palate, reflecting its position on the lower slopes, alongside impressive fruit and length.
Jasper Morris MW - Burgundy Director
There are three new cuvées from Antoine Jobard this year: a Meursault not previously bottled, a newly purchased Puligny Premier Cru, and a barrel of Meursault Perrières grown by a friend and exchanged for some Jobard Poruzots. The harvest began on 29th August with healthy grapes, very few treatments having been needed in the vines, which were picked around 12.2% with correct yields around 50 hl/ha. This is a superb address for Meursault which ages with distinction.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director There is a quiet evolution taking place in the Sauzet vineyards, with a steady movement towards biodynamic farming. The proportion of purchased grapes is also diminishing, partly because the domaine has been able to purchase some of the vineyards they were already working with. The cellar work, overseen by Gerard Boudot with his daughter and son-in-law, Emilie and Benoît, continues to be immaculate. Yields were correct in 2011, albeit well below 2009 and the wines are simply excellent.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director During the last year, Etienne de Montille, who has run Château de Puligny-Montrachet for the last decade, bought out the previous owners. 2012 will therefore be the first vintage of the new regime and also the first which will be fully certified organic after completion of the necessary three years. In 2011 the Château has produced a good crop of white wines, with old-fashioned low alcohol levels in both the reds and whites: wines originally found to be around 12% abv have been adjusted to 12.5% abv, anything above that was untouched.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director 2011 is a welcome oasis of plenty between the comparative desert of the 2010 and 2012 vintages when yields were tiny. The wines are very good this year as well as being more plentiful, so Michel Coutoux, son-in-law of Michel Niellon, can be pleased with what he has produced. The wines were bottled in September.
Bottle 3 x 75cl 1cs
A product of 50-year-old vines grown on white soils suited to Chardonnay, this is an outstanding wine for the appellation. With a precise, clear-cut nose and a touch of apple, the wine is quite floral, very attractive, ripe and unusually concentrated for St Romain.
This promising domaine, recently established in Meursault, despite having its origins in the Hautes Côtes village of Meloisey, is now reaching a new level of maturity. This year they will bottle everything themselves for the first time and there are some new 1ers Crus to offer. There is not much quantity of any individual cuvée available and prices remain extremely reasonable, so I strongly suggest you to take a good look at Sébastien’s reds in particular.