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La Paulée de San Francisco - Grand Tasting
The Fairmont - San Francisco CA
Tasted March 15, 2014 by Burgundy Al with 1,105 views
Introduction
Another great and educational tasting of 2011s. Order is the sequence of the tasting book, not the order in which I tasted (which was mostly all reds first, then all whites). These wines are tasting very differently vs my experience in Burgundy June/July 2013. No surprise than some are better, others less so. But this green thing....
Flight 1 - Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils (4 notes)
White
2011 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis
88 points
Tasting, brief note. Very vibrant and fresh with engaging minerality for its level. Good to drink now.
White
2011 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Vaillon
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Peach, slightly fleshy to start, some new oak seems to protrude right now at the start, good minerality and salinity middle to finish. Cellar at least a few years.
White
2011 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Valmur
Tasting, brief note. Lean start that I really enjoyed, followed by a fatter, almost tropical finish. Needs time, but very interesting potential.
White
2011 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Very nicely floral with ripe orchard fruit to start, some faint tropical hints in the middle but comes across as more integrated already today vs the Valmur just tasted. Excellent.
Flight 2 - Domaine William Fèvre (5 notes)
White
2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent
Tasting, brief note. Rich styled fruit that was fun, even if not distinctly Chablis-like today. Very precise finish with good depth, average minerality.
White
2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
Tasting, brief note. Also ripe and rich, in a more lush style than I normally expect from Chablis. Very good intensity with clearly Grand Cru calibre.
White
2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
94 points
Tasting, brief note. Also rich and ripe, but with lots of classic mineral and oyster shell character that just screams Chablis. Great power and concentration with lots of lemon peel and apple.
White
2011 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Côte Bouguerots
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Again lots of apple, lemon and lemon peel. Lots of power, length and intensity, just slightly less energetic than the wonderful Les Clos.
White
2001 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
92 points
Tasting, brief note. From magnum open ~4 hours before I tasted. Lots of power and enticing spice with good apple flavors and lemon hints. Bottle from last year was slightly more exciting and better textured, but this tasting today was served slightly warm (between cellar and room temp).
Flight 3 - Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey (4 notes)
White
2012 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Blanc
Tasting, brief note. Very forward start showcasing ripe stone fruit with tropical hints. Fat from start to finish, some moderate structure coming through middle to finish, helping provide some moderate length and good textures. A very good St Aubin.
White
2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Baudines
Tasting, brief note. Floral touch with forward stone fruit, moderate depth and intensity. Good.
White
2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Sensational potential here. Citrus, lots of spice, some new oak protruding today. Excellent density and concentration, plus very good acidity and minerality coming through from middle through long finish.
White
2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bâtard-Montrachet
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Floral and spice driven start with sense of ripe peach and apple. Very fat with Batard's classic lush character.
Flight 4 - Domaine Bernard Moreau & Fils (4 notes)
White
2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Excellent at its level once again. apple, good spice, all good now with mineral hints.
White
2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers
91 points
Tasting, brief note. Floral start with apple and pear. Good power and balance already today.
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White
2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie
90 points
Tasting, brief note. More dense and concentrated vs Vergers, lots of orchard fruit, slightly less inviting.
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White
2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Grandes Ruchottes
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Lots of ripe apple with some lemon curd. Very concentrated with impressive mineral support, helping with good length, good textures.
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Flight 5 - Domaine Matrot (3 notes)
White
2011 Domaine Matrot Meursault
Tasting, brief note. Lemon, apple, walnuts, some grass hints. Simple, very pleasurable now.
White
2011 Domaine Matrot Meursault 1er Cru Blagny
Tasting, brief note. Ripe and forward with Meyer lemon and grapefruit hints, an ever-so-slightly sweet finish with moderate length. Good.
White
2011 Domaine Matrot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes
Tasting, brief note. Also ripe, forward and fat to start, moderate intensity and length, moderate structure as well. Good.
Flight 6 - Domaine des Comtes Lafon (4 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu
89 points
Tasting, brief note. To an extent this reminded me of the 2007 vintage for this wine with lots of charming red fruit that are well supported with floral tones. But a slight rough edge at the very end made it slightly less appealing overall for now or the future.
White
2012 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Viré-Clessé
87 points
Tasting, brief note. Big, fat, lots of fun and easy to enjoy now.
White
2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Starts with apple and some roasted nuts, finishes with fun tropical fruit that are counterbalanced with very good energy.
White
2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Charmes
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Peach and ripe apple with very impressive spice. Big scaled fruit is restrained by really good mineral and acid elements that combine for an intense middle through finish. Needs time.
Flight 7 - Francois Carillon (3 notes)
White
2011 Francois Carillon Puligny-Montrachet
87 points
Tasting, brief note. Apple and lemon with faint spice, good acidity and minerality...all in very good balance. Delivers very nicely for its level, even if I'd want just a little more of everything.
White
2011 Francois Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain
Tasting, brief note. Nicely floral with lemon curd and lemon peel. Fat and accessible, moderate intensity and length. Very good.
White
2011 Francois Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes
Tasting, brief note. I liked this a lot. Intriguing combination of Meyer lemon, ripe apple with some tropical hints, with the acid and mineral driven textures that make me happy. Long finish. Excellent for its level.
Flight 8 - Etienne Sauzet (4 notes)
White
2011 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet
Tasting, brief note. Rich and intense for its level, showing ripe apple and a hint of peach. Very balanced as well.
White
2011 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ-Canet
Tasting, brief note. A small step up from the lovely Puligny AC, very ripe and forward with moderate weight.
White
2011 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes
92 points
Tasting, brief note. A big step up from Champ Canet, this combined ripe orchard and stone fruit aromas and flavors with the structure to balance. Clearly oaky and modern styled, but with the energy to keep it serious and exciting. Very good 1er.
White
2011 Etienne Sauzet Chevalier-Montrachet
Tasting, brief note. Very impressive, this showed classic Chevalier elegance with floral, spice and restrained orchard fruit. There is a lot of fruit here, but the terroir really comes through with the wine's great harmony as it picks up intensity from middle to finish. Give this time. Very good Grand Cru.
Flight 9 - Domaine de Montille (4 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds
87 points
Tasting, brief note. Lighter styled red fruit with an odd funk. Bottle hadn't just been opened, so tough to explain. Fruit is quite nice and open. Probably best on the younger side vs most other vintages for this wine.
Red
2011 Domaine de Montille Pommard 1er Cru Rugiens-Bas
Tasting, brief note. Lots of approachable red fruit that I like today without the presence of the extra-firm grip too common in Pommard. Good.
White
2011 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots
88 points
Tasting, brief note. Peach comes through strongly with some ripe pear and roasted nut hints. Fat fruit start is charming, but with a slightly soft middle and finish.
White
2011 Domaine de Montille Corton-Charlemagne
Tasting, brief note. I like the fruit purity here a lot, with no protruding oak spice. Moderate length and finesse today, this will need time. Good.
Flight 10 - Domaine de Courcel (4 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine de Courcel Pommard Les Vaumuriens
Tasting, brief note. Nicely perfumed start. Less interesting flavors, seemingly tart black fruit on palate, can this be underripe stems?
Red
2011 Domaine de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Les Fremiers
Tasting, brief note. A step up from the Pommard Vaumuriens Villages, but with an earthy, slightly bitter/green quality.
Red
2011 Domaine de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Grand Clos des Épenots
Tasting, brief note. Black and red fruit with good balance and concentration. I still get a hint of a green edge, but far less vs the Vaumuriens or Fremiers.
Red
2011 Domaine de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens
Tasting, brief note. Easily best in today's 4 bottle lineup with good fruit and concentration, just very firm today. Needs lots of time in that classic, slightly rustic Pommard fashion.
Flight 11 - Domaine Marquis d'Angerville (4 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Les Fremiets
Tasting, brief note. Red cherry and cranberry. More forward aromas, tart flavors, lots of minerality. Good.
Red
2011 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans
Tasting, brief note. Nice floral aromatics with black and red fruit and good balance on plate. More firm than when tasted at the domaine last summer. Certainly needs time.
Red
2011 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds
Tasting, brief note. More ripe fruit and spice than Fremiets or Champans with greater density and balance as well. Very good.
Red
2011 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs
Tasting, brief note. Lots of red and black fruit with spice-driven aromatic complexity. Very well textured and silky. 92-94 point potential here for me.
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Flight 12 - Joseph Drouhin (4 notes)
Red
2011 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge
87 points
Tasting, brief note. Very nice red fruit with good accompanying spice, but a slight harsh/green edge protrudes on the finish.
Red
2011 Joseph Drouhin Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Procès
Tasting, brief note. Longer, more balanced vs Mouches just tasted. Mostly black fruit with good spice, some of which is new oak that needs a little more time to integrate.
White
2011 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot
Tasting, brief note. I didn't know until today that the Laguiche always simply called "Chassagne-Montrachet" has always been from Morgeots. No wonder it was always one of the finest "Villages" level wines from Chassagne. Good orchard fruit with peach hints framed with some soft, subtle spice. Good young.
White
2011 Joseph Drouhin Corton-Charlemagne
Tasting, brief note. Fat and lush fruit with some brioche richness. Very good overall, but this will need time to integrate a little more. Consistent with when tasted last summer. Very good potential.
Flight 13 - Bouchard Père et Fils (2 notes)
Red
2011 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus
88 points
Tasting, brief note. Black fruit with good spice. A little more firm than I recall from when tasted 3-4 months ago. Hint of that odd underripe edge on finish.
Red
2011 Bouchard Père et Fils Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Very enjoyable black fruit aromas and flavors. Very good balance for an NSG so young, even if slightly simple. Good sneaky structure hiding in the background.
Flight 14 - Camille Giroud (4 notes)
Red
2011 Camille Giroud Beaune 1er Cru Avaux
Tasting, brief note. One of the better wines from Beaune itself tasted today. Restrained, balanced red fruit and woodsy spice. Subtle structure works well in background. Cellar a few years, good from 2017 or 2018. Very good.
Red
2011 Camille Giroud Vosne-Romanée
Tasting, brief note. Pure fruit with nice Vosne spice, but a slight rough edge on the finish. Good.
Red
2011 Camille Giroud Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaut St. Jacques
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Red and black fruit with earthy character and some roast meat. Very good structure makes this need a few years in the cellar, but I really like the energy, minerality and raw material here. Very good.
Red
2011 Camille Giroud Pommard 1er Cru Clos de Verger
Tasting, brief note. All black fruit but forward, charming and balanced. Slightly firm on finish, but a good mid-drinking Pommard, perhaps from 2017.
Flight 15 - Louis Jadot (3 notes)
Red
2011 Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Another wine rarely seen. All red fruit with good textures and background spice. Fresh and pleasurable today. Very expressive of Chambolle. Very good.
Red
2011 Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Meaty, firm and dense with good concentration. I often find the Jadot CV forward and accessible in its youth, but not this bottle today. Also an ever-so-slight rough edge at the finish.
White
2011 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot
93 points
Tasting, brief note. Tropical fruit balanced with lemon and lemon peel to give both a ripe, fat, lush character but with energy and intensity. Excellent.
Flight 16 - Simon Bize (3 notes)
Red
2011 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune Les Bourgeots
85 points
Tasting, brief note. Lighter styled, nice combination of red and black fruit with good balance, moderate weight and length. Best in a couple of years.
Red
2011 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Fournaux
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Starts with very forward, accessible fruit, finishes with sneaky structure and more finesse. Very well structured and textured. Very good.
Red
2011 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses
91 points
Tasting, brief note. Black fruit, more spice with a meaty character and some sauvage. Good length and concentration. A small step up from the Fournaux, even if a little less nuanced.
Flight 17 - Faiveley (3 notes)
Red
2011 Faiveley Mercurey 1er Cru Clos des Myglands
88 points
Tasting, brief note. Red cherry, a bit earthy. Good length, firm finish for now. Will soften in a few years.
Red
2011 Faiveley Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Aux Chaignots
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Black and red fruit with some woodsy spice and earth. Everything in harmony. Should drink well young, from 2017.
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Red
2011 Faiveley Latricières-Chambertin
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Slightly floral with black currant, leather and forged mushroom. Good density and structure, this really shows meaty Gevrey character today, but will need a decade to really flesh out its potential.
Flight 18 - Alain Hudelot-Noellat (4 notes)
Red
2011 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers
Tasting, brief note. Black cherry with a hint of plum on nose and palate. Aromas very fruit driven, flavors are equally balanced with firm tannins, so give some time to soften. Very good 2011.
Red
2011 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Red and black fruit with very good five spice. Well textured. Slightly simple finish for now. Some new oak needs a few years to integrate better. Very good.
Red
2011 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Clos Vougeot
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Bright red berry aromas with very Vosne-styled, slightly woodsy spice. There is a charming hint of new oak on nose that doesn't seem as obvious on palate. Bright black and red berry flavors with some backward structure. Very impressive 2011.
Red
2011 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Romanée St. Vivant
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Mostly red berry aromas with five spice. Same flavors with some interesting black berry as well. Meaty and firm, perhaps not showing the finesse and textures of this wine in its greatest vintages.
Flight 19 - Domaine Hudelot-Baillet (4 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Very pretty with fresh, vibrant all red fruit, spice hints. Wonderful mouth feel and textures. Very good for its level.
Red
2011 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes
89 points
Tasting, brief note. Slightly richer and more powerful than the Chambolle VV, but less texturally exciting to me.
Red
2011 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Red and black berries start-to-finish with moderate spice. Very impressive stony minerality and balancing textures. This will need a few years, but is very balanced and impressive .
Red
2011 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Bonnes Mares
92 points
Tasting, brief note. Mostly red cherry with some black berry hints. Very elegant and finely textured. This wine will provide lots of pleasure. Perhaps not the power I normally expect from Bonnes Mares, but that might be a good thing in 2011.
Flight 20 - David Duband (4 notes)
Red
2011 David Duband Gevrey-Chambertin
Tasting, brief note. Slightly floral, good spice. Red and black fruit, seemingly slightly underripe with a slightly rough edge on finish.
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Red
2011 David Duband Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers
Tasting, brief note. Also slightly floral with dense black fruit with very firm tannins and a classic, meaty NSG brutishness. Needs time.
Red
2011 David Duband Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Clos Sorbé
Tasting, brief note. Good fruit, but clearly showing that green edge starting to protrude on some 2011s.
Red
2011 David Duband Charmes-Chambertin
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Enticing floral and spice driven start with both black and red berry. Palate shows similar flavor profile, but hidden behind firm structure today. Very good potential, but this will need a decade+, unusual compared with most other 2011s.
Flight 21 - Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils (4 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin
89 points
Tasting, brief note. All black fruit with spice hints. Very good concentration for its level. Some rugged tannins that need to integrate, but very good in a few years.
Red
2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques
90 points
Tasting, brief note. Very good black cherry throughout, good spice, animale hints. Good length.
Red
2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche
Tasting, brief note. As Cyrielle would say, this is a handsome wine. Robust fruit with good power, with some good roasted meat and spice support.
Red
2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
Tasting, brief note. Floral start with intense black berry aromas. While not forthcoming, this has incredible concentration and weight, slightly austere/brooding in the middle, then complete elegance on the finish.
What is stunning about this wine (in hindsight of the dozens of other 2011s tasted today after this wine) is its combination of concentration, ripe fruit and balance.
What is stunning about this wine (in hindsight of the dozens of other 2011s tasted today after this wine) is its combination of concentration, ripe fruit and balance.
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Comment
Flight 22 - Domaine Fourrier (4 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Vieille Vigne
Tasting, brief note. Large scaled fruit with good balance and very accessible. Slightly less exciting than I recall from when tasted at the domaine last summer.
Red
2011 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne
Tasting, brief note. Much like I recall from tasting at the domaine in the summer, this is concentrated, meaty and earthy, but with good balance and elegance.
Red
2011 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines Vieille Vigne
Tasting, brief note. Lots of black and red cherry aromas and flavors with a gamy intensity. Very similar overall profile to when I tasted at Fourrier in the summer, but this just didn't seem quite as long and powerful today.
Red
2011 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne
Tasting, brief note. Slightly floral with an intense array or red, black and blue fruit aromas. Slightly more reserved on palate, with incredibly fresh and well textured. Very good.
Flight 23 - Domaine Alain Burguet (4 notes)
Red
2011 Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Symphonie
87 points
Tasting, brief note. Red and black fruit with some woodsy spice and earth. Lighter intensity, good to enjoy starting in a few years. This is from 20 parcels with "younger" vines, averaging 25-30 years old.
Red
2011 Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Favorites Vieilles Vignes
Tasting, brief note. A clear step up in intensity and concentration from the "Symphonie," this is from approximately 25 parcels that average around 70 years of age. All dark fruit with meatiness and a slightly brooding character. This wine always puts on weight with bottle age, so I am confident the same will be true in 2011. There is a slight bitter hint on the finish, which I hope fades.
Red
2011 Domaine Alain Burguet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux
Tasting, brief note. Elegant and understated fruit throughout with subtle spice and nice earthiness. Same slight bitter hint at finish as Mes Favorites.
Red
2011 Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus
Tasting, brief wine. slightly lighter styled than Burguet's Gevrey wines, red and black fruit with good savory spice. Firm finish, this will take a while to soften.
Flight 24 - Domaine des Lambrays (2 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine des Lambrays Morey St. Denis
Tasting, brief note. Dark fruit with very good spice. Some green edges at the finish.
Red
2011 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays
Tasting, brief note. A big step up in intensity and power with lots of bright fruit and charming spice. Also showing a slight green hint on finish.