2011 Bertheau, two Santenays and two aged Rieslings

The Burgundy merchant around my corner only got Bertheau in his portfolio last year (with assorted 2008s and 2010s), but this year is the first year he got the full range, which we got to taste. As an introduction, we also had two 2011 Santenays from Bachelet-Monnot and David Moreau, the 2011 Bourgogne Le Chapitre from Sylvain Pataille. And then in the end, we also opened two well aged Rieslings. I had only tried the Chambolle Village and the 1er Cru from Francois Bertheau before (from 2008 and 2010, the 1er Cru also from 2011) and was very excited to also try the rest of Bertheau's wines.

I adore the Bachelet-Monnot whites, but I also like their reds, especially given their user-friendly price. I had bought the Santenay Charmes in 2009 and 2010. The 2011 wasn't as good though, it was a bit muted and somehow the fruit didn't seem to be as lively and fresh as it was in the two previous years. In our group, most preferred the Bachelet Monnot Santenay Charmes over the Santenay S from David Moreau. Even though they are a bit oaky and very fruit forward, I do like the David Moreau Santenays very much. The Santenay S seems to be shutting down already. Three months earlier it was much more lush and open.

• 2011 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Santenay Les Charmes

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay

  Dark red. In the nose a bit muted, dark berries, slight reduction and sulphur notes. Not that great. Better on the palate, again a bit sulphuric, lean, tart with prominent acidity. Slightly metallic finish. Gets better and more balanced with air. Still, I liked the 2009 and 2010 of this wine much better.

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• 2011 David Moreau Santenay Cuvée S

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay

  Medium cherry red. In the nose, this is earthy and slightly oaky, yet quite transparent and clear. It's got some elegance and a very fine raspberry note. Some solvent in the back end of the nose. On the palate, it's light, slightly edgy and tart, oaky as well. Very good again in the finish. Just three months earlier, this wine was much more open and round. Seems to shut down already.

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I was told that except for the Marsannay L'Ancestrale, Sylvain Pataille considers his Bourgogne Le Chapitre from a vineyard already close to Dijon his best red. I tend to agree as I like this wine very, very much each year and maybe also even better than the Marsannays. This is excellent also in 2011 and I may even prefer the 2011 over the 2009 and 2010, but that could change again over time. In any case, this is a must-buy wine for me each year.

• 2011 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Bourgogne Le Chapitre

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  Purplish red. In the nose, very fine, nuanced, red fruited, very transparent, charming. On the palate, it's fine again with nice acidity, red fruits again. Long nuanced finish. I like this even better than the 2009 and the 2010. Excellent value despite a price hike of almost 30%.

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Three months earlier, the Tardy Chambolle-Musigny Les Athets was sort of disjointed, but it had only been delivered two weeks before, so this may have been due to transport shock. Now, it was much more balanced, but still not 100% harmonic. I bought a bottle of it, but will need to let it sit for at least 6 to 7 years. The 2011 Bertheau Chambolle Villages is very different in style, much more delicate, more red-fruited, more elegant, but also harder to pin down.

• 2011 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Chambolle-Musigny

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

  Very light red. In the nose, it's difficult at first with some solvent notes. But it gets finer and finer with very precise raspberry and floral notes. Still, hard to pin down, sort of airy and even a bit sketchy. On the palate, it's fragile, silky, minerally, fine. Long finish. Needs attention.

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• 2011 Domaine Jean Tardy et Fils Chambolle-Musigny Les Athets

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny

  Purplish red. In the nose, it's quite powerful with more power than finesse, some oak, but also nice floral and red berry notes (red currant, raspberry). More harmonic than three months earlier, but not 100% at ease. On the palate, it's very structured, linear, finely woven. Breaks down suddenly in the finish. There's good substance, but this is not a wine to drink young, it seems.

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The 1er Crus and the Bonnes Mares from Francois Bertheau were all excellent, stylistically consistent, all very delicate, fine, but also a bit fragile and hard to pin down. I liked the gentle oriental spiciness in the Charmes and the Amoureuses, but between the Amoureuses and the Bonnes Mares, I preferred the latter as it had a little more meat on the bone and was easier to like for me. Between the Charmes and the 1er Cru (mix of vineyards), I also preferred the latter. The Charmes was excellent, but somehow the 1er Cru did it for me, it has an excellent structure and balance and lots of finesse whereas in the Charmes, the acidity and tannins stood out a bit too much for me.

• 2011 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  I had this twice in two months. Light crimson. In the nose, it's very fragrant, red- and a tiny bit dark fruited, constantly changing with raspberry notes as the constant element. Very fine. On the palate, it's light, delicate, silky, but with good acidity that builds the backbone of a delicate, but firm structure. Raspberry again, slightly sweet in a good way. Minerality in the finish. Great juice.

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• 2011 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Light crimson. In the nose, this is charming, elegant and fragrant, slightly spicy. Good balance of light and dark notes. More substance than the 1er Cru. On the palate, it's got a good structure, some tartness, slightly rustic acidity and slightly grainy tannins. I actually prefer the 1er Cru at this point.

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• 2011 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Light, transparent crimson. In the nose, this is marked by red fruit: strawberries, raspberries, red currant. Very clean and precise, seductive. Slightly spicy in an oriental way. On the palate, this is very light and delicated, transparent structure, very fine acidity, hardly noticeable tannins, but good grip. Very good balance. Medium long finish, could be longer actually. Still, an excellent wine.

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• 2011 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Bonnes Mares

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

  Clear cherry red. In the nose, this is more dark fruited, stronger, more powerful than the Amoureuses with full ripe cherry rather than red berry notes. More "male" in character. Still, very fine, only in a very different way than all other 2011 Bertheaus. On the palate, this is very finely woven with great structure, very fine acidity that tickles the tongue. Great length. World class wine.

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A friend of mine had also brought two aged Rieslings he wanted me to try, so we opened them in the end. The 1975 Steinberger Auslese was quite hard work with its very strong caramel and botrytis notes and the 1988 von Schubert Herrenberg Spätlese was our absolute favorite, so pure, so precise, so vibrant. It seemed like freshly filled, but also had sort of invisible age notes, the kind of effect of bottle age that doesn't impair freshness, but adds extra complexity. This is Riesling in its purest form and for me heaven on earth.

• 1975 Hessische Staatsweingüter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger Riesling Auslese

  Germany, Rheingau

  Amber colour. In the nose, this is like it or not with quite strong botrytis notes, very prominent caramel, already some first oxidative sherry notes, honey, fall leaves and crumbly apple. On the palate, it's more lively than in the nose with clear apple notes, fine acidity, medium sweetness and nutty notes. Very long. On the way down, but still very good to drink.

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• 1988 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Very light yellow. In the nose, this is incredibly fresh with white currant, gooseberry, smokey-slatey notes, white blossoms. This jumps out the glass, it's so lively and vibrant and dynamic. On the palate, vibrant again, almost dry now, strong acidity that is very well integrated and doesn't stick out. Saliva inducing. White currant again. Juicy and very long. Classic Grünhaus and so incredibly good.

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