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2011 Burgs
Noize
Tasted October 12, 2023 by NickA with 94 views
Introduction
It was rumoured that the 2011s were drinking well... and might even actually be quite good! We sought to find out.
Flight 1 - Particularly runny cheese Gougères (1 note)
White - Sparkling
2011 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
92 points
Same view as when tasted in July 2022 - an attractive golden wine that's not the strongest edition of Comtes, but definitely fun to drink. Some honey and lemon sherbert on the nose. Very elegant on the palate, with some ginger spice and the merest hint of something bitter, green and unripe on the finish. Tasty, if not authoritative
Flight 2 - Poached Haddock, Onion bhaji, Frisée, Curried dressing (2 notes)
White
2011 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet
92 points
Very stony and crisp on the nose, and actually increasingly flinty as time went on, as well as a little hint of caramel maturity. A real concentrated mouthful, and exciting to drink, with notes of green fruit pastille, popcorn and lime jam, and just as bright and piquant on the finish. We were lucky this had the substance to deal with the dish on its own, given the fate of tonight's other white.
White
Flight 3 - Open Lasagna of Pheasant, Wild Mushrooms, Cep Foam (2 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine Sylvain Pataille Marsannay les Grasses Têtes
93 points
The first sniff clearly showed this was going to be great, and it was. Inviting nose full of delicious musky, earthy hedgerow scent, and some truffle and mothballs too. Rather puckering bright cherry acidity on the palate, and some earthy stemminess. This lightfooted wine was great with the food, and the group's WOTN (my #3).
Red
2011 Domaine Denis Mortet Marsannay Les Longeroies
93 points
Another cracker from the first flight. Sensual, floral nose that had a touch of smoke; equal in quality to the Pataille's, but less sauvage. Nicely full on the palate, and straightforwardly pleasurable, with some violet and a gloriously crisp red-fruited finish. My WOTN, although only the group's fourth favourite.
I gave 93pts to the 2008 a few months ago, perhaps this is a wine I should start buying!
I gave 93pts to the 2008 a few months ago, perhaps this is a wine I should start buying!
Flight 4 - Pigeon and Foie Gras Pithivier, Potato Rösti, Hispi Cabbage, Red wine sauce (3 notes)
Red
2011 Gilbert et Christine Felettig Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Carrières
90 points
Apparently the Felettigs started to improve their winemaking around 2009, and you can tell this isn't quite the finished article as it was noticeable clumsier than the younger wines I've tried. A little muddled on the nose, especially at first, although it did pull itself together with time in the glass. Dense red fruit on the palate, and surprisingly tannic, although it did soften. More suitable for drinking with hearty food - luckily we had some.
Red
2011 Domaine Hudelot-Baillet Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras
93 points
Reticent at first, then opened up to reveal a rather nice bouquet with musk, earth and truffle. Crisp and energetic on the palate, even a touch natty. This wine certainly wasn't shouty, but it just worked - my #3 tonight.
Red
2011 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru La Combe d'Orveau
93 points
So lovely. A bright, giving nose that had a wonderful combination of floral and savoury character. Lots of juicy fruit on the sleek-framed palate, with a touch of red apple as well as red berry; more like a 2017 than a 2011? We all enjoyed this, and voted it group #3, but there were murmurs that it was maybe a little bit *too* attractive!
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Flight 5 - Comté and Époisses (3 notes)
Red
2011 Maison Ilan Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Les Chaffots
92 points
First time trying this notorious producer. Tonight's most mature wine, with plenty of farmyard and some visible browning. Stereotypically 2011 in terms of structure, being bright and crisp and marked by its acidity - the opposite to the Felettig, say. I'd be drinking up if I owned this wine, but it was really quite nice on the night.
Red
2011 Hubert Lignier Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Clos Baulet
91 points
Although a good wine, this sadly wasn't a patch on the 2007 we had in the same room a few years ago; it may well need more time than tonight's other wines. Plain, earthy, red-fruited nose. Straightforward red fruit, some spice, weaker in the midpalate than either side. Maybe I was feeling a bit palate-fatigued, as this was voted group #2.
Red
2011 Domaine Joliet Fixin 1er Cru Clos de la Perrière
90 points
Fresh red fruit, lots of acidity and a touch of spice. Straightforward pleasure in a vin de soif style. I should probably have put it in the first flight.
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Flight 6 - Delightful Digestif (1 note)
White - Off-dry
2011 Wegeler Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Spätlese Auction
94 points
Ooh yeah, now my taste for wine is back firing! Gorgeous spicy nose, with some clementine and honeycomb. Such impact on the palate, which filled the mouth with pithy fruit, and predictably had oodles of refreshment and length. A great, invigorating wine.
Closing
We've now done this with 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008 and, while I'd definitely rank 2011 ahead of 2006 in terms of pleasure (if not longevity), it does seem to be a slightly weaker vintage, as we expected.
They're reasonably priced, though, and we didn't try particularly senior wines here, so I'm looking forward to more refreshing, uncomplicated 2011s over the next five years or so - these were fun wines.