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
£28.50
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
£255.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 3cs
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Nicolas Potel has installed the négociant arm of his business on the Savigny side of town which gives him plenty of space for making and maturing the wines, along with logistics and office needs, while keeping his Domaine de Bellene operation completely separate in Beaune itself. The selling point here is consistent competence mixed with attractive pricing.
Bottle
£450.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Case price (Bottle 12 x 75cl)
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director Nicolas Potel has installed the négociant arm of his business on the Savigny side of town which gives him plenty of space for making and maturing the wines, along with logistics and office needs, while keeping his Domaine de Bellene operation completely separate in Beaune itself. The selling point here is consistent competence mixed with attractive pricing.
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
This superb domaine continues to grow in reputation. Domaine de la Vougeraie was created in 1999 when Jean-Claude Boisset of the Boisset group decided to group together all the vineyard holdings of his various négociant companies acquired over the years. The name comes from the significant holdings – and indeed Jean-Claude Boisset’s home – in the village of Vougeot. No expense is spared in production terms. Winemaker Pierre Vincent’s style is for lighter colours and very sensual wines.
As ever, this has a nose of great distinction. It is very fine, with some delicate floral notes, and has fabulous harmony with almost sweet fruit. Lemon-scented, it also shows spring flowers and white peaches before a fresh finish and excellent precision. This is a wine of great appeal when young, but it should also keep very well indeed.
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Jasper Morris MW,Berrys' Burgundy Director Sylvain has become a superb purveyor of interesting white wines which deliver both quality and value for money, with the two Ladoix Cuvées being particularly noteworthy. He is also softening his style of red wine vinification. All the wines age for up to 18 months in his gloriously cool stone vaulted cellars in Chorey-lès-Beaune and from 2011, all of Sylvain Loichet’s own vineyards are certified AB (Agriculture Biologique) organic.
Assrt x 6 1 x 450cl 2cs
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director The model here in Fichet’s ultra-meticulous cellars, near the Hôpital de Meursault, is for the wines to spend one year in wood, with bigger barrels for the lesser appellations, and then for them to be racked into tank for the second winter. We adore Fichet’s style of pure, energetic Meursault while even his Bourgogne Blanc tastes like a superior appellation.
Ladoix is found clustered around the hill of Corton and Loichet has produced a really complex wine with lots of energetic aromatics, floral characters and a balance of wood spice, lemon zest and minerality.
Laura Atkinson, Private Account Manager
Do not worry if you have never heard of Ladoix, this will be a superb introduction to this little-known appellation. Sylvain Loichet’s 2011 has a fine pale colour, a really fabulous nose and magical class, we won’t quite say a poor man’s Corton-Charlemagne, but even so this is eye-catchingly fine. Fruit, weight, balance, purity, long mineral finish – all of those.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
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
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 Though 2011 has the reputation of being a large vintage for white wines, this was not the case at Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard, where many vineyards produced little more than 30 hl/ha. Caroline Gagnard has converted the vineyards to organic farming and the quality of the grapes is evident in this superb range of wines. As ever, this is an outstanding source of Chassagne-Montrachet.
As good as many a Meursault from lesser producers, this has fabulous richness on the nose. The palate is full and fleshy, with superb balance and great length.
Chris Pollington, Private Account Manager
This is very attractive with stylish fruit on the nose and impressive length. Half of the wine has been racked to tank after one year, which freshens up the structure without taking away its mini Meursault character.
Jasper Morris MW, Berrys' Burgundy Director
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 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 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
Whilst this is as full and powerful as you’d expect from a Corton, it is the precision of the apple, pear and citrus fruit, and the steely minerality that really impressed me. Very expressive and vibrant with huge energy, it is a remarkable Grand Cru white.
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Manager
Striking and displaying a sparkling, stony character on the nose, there is plenty of energy here. It is medium bodied on the palate, with ripe fruit underpinned by a classical stony feel. Once again, this is a very fine example of Corton-Charlemagne.
Jasper Morris MW,Berrys' Burgundy Director
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
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 3 x 75cl 2cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
The Clos du Roy is one of the top vineyard sites of Marsannay, and this wine is in its optimum drinking window now, displaying aromas of apricot and toast, with a lovely finish of stem ginger and cleansing lime juice.