Vinous (93)

The 2011 Pommard Les Rugiens 1er Cru feels clean and pure on the nose, elegant rather than powerful with brambly red berry fruit, undergrowth, chestnut and sage developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied, clean raspberry and wild strawberry with fine tannin all the way to the finish, especially for a Pommard. It fans out with confidence at the end, completing an accomplished Les Rugiens. Tasted at Flint Wines Burgundy 2011 tasting.

Vinous (94)

The 2011 Échézeaux literally jumps from the glass with a heady melange of dark red fruit, sweet floral notes and crushed rocks. Rich and explosive on the palate, yet backed up with significant structure and pure intensity, the 2011 is firing on all cylinders. First and foremost, the Échézeaux is a wine of pure texture. The Échézeaux emerges from 7-8 parcels in the Poulallières climat. There is so much to like here.

Vinous (94+)

Dark cherry, plum, cloves and menthol are some of the many notes that wrap around the palate in the 2011 Grands-Échézeaux. This is an especially dark, somber Grands-Échézeaux. Today the tannins are quite firm and the wine is holding back much of its potential, but it possesses superb depth that will only fully emerge after a number of years in the cellar. Sweet tobacco, savory herbs and leather wrap around a finish infused with gravitas.

Vinous (94+)

Dark cherry, plum, cloves and menthol are some of the many notes that wrap around the palate in the 2011 Grands-Échézeaux. This is an especially dark, somber Grands-Échézeaux. Today the tannins are quite firm and the wine is holding back much of its potential, but it possesses superb depth that will only fully emerge after a number of years in the cellar. Sweet tobacco, savory herbs and leather wrap around a finish infused with gravitas.

Vinous (94+)

Dark cherry, plum, cloves and menthol are some of the many notes that wrap around the palate in the 2011 Grands-Échézeaux. This is an especially dark, somber Grands-Échézeaux. Today the tannins are quite firm and the wine is holding back much of its potential, but it possesses superb depth that will only fully emerge after a number of years in the cellar. Sweet tobacco, savory herbs and leather wrap around a finish infused with gravitas.

Vinous (94+)

Dark cherry, plum, cloves and menthol are some of the many notes that wrap around the palate in the 2011 Grands-Échézeaux. This is an especially dark, somber Grands-Échézeaux. Today the tannins are quite firm and the wine is holding back much of its potential, but it possesses superb depth that will only fully emerge after a number of years in the cellar. Sweet tobacco, savory herbs and leather wrap around a finish infused with gravitas.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95-98)

Bright, full red. Sexy, multidimensional nose offers red berries, crushed stone, Oriental spices and a pungent smoky complexity. Wonderfully silky and concentrated, with dark raspberry, licorice and mineral flavors combining density and a light touch. This boasts a near-perfect balance of fruits, minerals, acidity and suave, fine-grained tannins. The slowly mounting finish saturates every square millimeter of the palate and builds inexorably. A great showing today. DRC produced 68 barrels of this juice in 2011: you do the math.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95-98)

Bright, full red. Sexy, multidimensional nose offers red berries, crushed stone, Oriental spices and a pungent smoky complexity. Wonderfully silky and concentrated, with dark raspberry, licorice and mineral flavors combining density and a light touch. This boasts a near-perfect balance of fruits, minerals, acidity and suave, fine-grained tannins. The slowly mounting finish saturates every square millimeter of the palate and builds inexorably. A great showing today. DRC produced 68 barrels of this juice in 2011: you do the math.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95-98)

Bright, full red. Sexy, multidimensional nose offers red berries, crushed stone, Oriental spices and a pungent smoky complexity. Wonderfully silky and concentrated, with dark raspberry, licorice and mineral flavors combining density and a light touch. This boasts a near-perfect balance of fruits, minerals, acidity and suave, fine-grained tannins. The slowly mounting finish saturates every square millimeter of the palate and builds inexorably. A great showing today. DRC produced 68 barrels of this juice in 2011: you do the math.

Vinous (95)

A wine of depth, power and richness, the 2011 Richebourg brings together the intensity of the Grands-Échézeaux with floral overtones and tannins that resemble those of the Romanée St.-Vivant, making for a wonderfully complete Burgundy. Savory and floral notes meld into graphite, plum and violet notes, leading to a finish graced with substantial energy and polish.

Vinous (95)

A wine of depth, power and richness, the 2011 Richebourg brings together the intensity of the Grands-Échézeaux with floral overtones and tannins that resemble those of the Romanée St.-Vivant, making for a wonderfully complete Burgundy. Savory and floral notes meld into graphite, plum and violet notes, leading to a finish graced with substantial energy and polish.

Vinous (95)

A wine of depth, power and richness, the 2011 Richebourg brings together the intensity of the Grands-Échézeaux with floral overtones and tannins that resemble those of the Romanée St.-Vivant, making for a wonderfully complete Burgundy. Savory and floral notes meld into graphite, plum and violet notes, leading to a finish graced with substantial energy and polish.

Vinous (96)

A wine of pure silkiness, finesse and lyric beauty, the 2011 Romanée St.-Vivant graces the palate with dried rose petals, mint, violets and bright red berries, all supported by super-polished, crystalline tannins. Cool veins of underlying minerality support the precise, articulate finish. The 2011 is an introspective Burgundy built for the cellar, but it is drop-dead gorgeous.

Wine Spectator (99)

Powerful, refined and luscious, with a surplus of dark plum, kirsch and cassis flavors that are unctuous and long. Shows plenty of grip, presenting a long, full finish, filled with Asian spice and raspberry tart accents. Rich and chocolaty. One for the ages. Best from 2030 through 2060. 5,000 cases made. -KM

Domaine Drouhin-Laroze has some of the best sites in the Cote d’Or. The Clos de Vougeot 2011 has an exciting intensity throughout that engulfs the palate and exudes power on the long crafted finish. Plenty of wood and warm earth gives great balance to the very fresh red fruit.

Vinous (91+)

Captivating aromas of pristine red fruits, minerals and underbrush, plus a whiff of porcini. Juicy and penetrating on the palate, with terrific high-pitched precision to the red raspberry and cherry flavors. Lovely cut here, as well as a tannic spine that calls for four or five years of aging. Jeremy Seysses noted that with the estate's clonal material, their grapes are riper. We start pulling leaves on the north side of the vines not long after the flowering, and we get thicker skins, he told me, adding that the estate's 2011s are tannic wines.

Immerse yourself in the luxury of vineyard heritage with the Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone 2011. Originating from the reputable Établissements Nicolas Perrin estate situated in the northern Rhône region of France, this wine exudes the unmistakable aura of meticulously handpicked Syrah and Grenache grapes. The favourable Mediterranean climate, coupled with the estate's deep routed traditions in biodynamic grape cultivation, results in an exquisite full-bodied blend.

Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone 2011 plays host to a symphony of harmonious notes, teeming with deep black fruit flavours, mingling with hints of olives, earth and smoky undertones. Its distinctive, robust structure, combined with a dash of the Rhône’s characteristic earthiness, conjures an entrancing savoriness.

Regarded as a benchmark of the Côtes du Rhône appellation, Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone 2011--aged to perfection--offers you the quintessence of what a decade-old vintage should embody. An indulgence in every sip, this wine truly captures your senses in timeless French allure.

Jancis Robinson (19.5)

More youthful colour than many – mid garnet. Intriguing complexity with some violet notes. Really gorgeous breadth and balance with fruit and freshness. Still obviously gaining in interest and very long. Really smooth and with wonderful depth and persistence. The best 2011 so far in this tasting of top wines from that vintage. The sort of wine every burgundy drinker wants to find. Went on for a good minute…

Vinous (92)

The Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras shows the more sensual, caressing side of the vintage in its layered contours and soft, tender personality. Today, the is voluptuous and expressive, with no hard edges and fabulous overall balance. The Cras isn't super complex, but it is incredibly delicious, even at this early stage.

Vinous (92+)

Roumier's 2011 Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de La Bussière is terrific. Dark plum and cherry notes meld into cloves, menthol and spices in a layered wine dripping with class. Veins of underlying minerality give the 2011 much of its energy and tension. Although Christophe Roumier's wines have become objects of desire for Burgundy lovers all over the world, the Clos de La Bussière remains the most under-appreciated of his wines, mostly because it is often much less charming young than the Chambolles. Readers who can cellar the 2011 are in for a real treat.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (94-97)

Good deep, bright red. Pungent aromas of small wild berries, mint, rose petal and orange peel, plus a whiff of jammy blackberry. Marvelously silky and sweet, offering an uncanny combination of sheer concentration and inner-mouth perfume and vinosity. This struck me as almost more powerful than its 2010 sibling, with more of an impression of weight. Finishes with palate-staining persistence, a hint of violet and great snap.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (95-98)

(picked during the first half of October): Good medium ruby. Smoky aromas of ripe plum, black raspberry and minerals. Plush, very fine-grained and sweet, with lively harmonious acidity giving outstanding lift to the dense yet juicy middle palate. This is barely 14% alcohol and shows near-perfect balance. It's sure to be one of the wines of the vintage and will merit a score toward the higher end of my projected range if it continues to put on weight in barrel.

Wine Spectator (95)

This packs some serious density for the vintage, with layers of braised fig, blackberry pâte de fruit and dark currant paste, all inlaid with lively briar, tobacco leaf and roasted apple wood notes. Shows lots of energy through the finish, with the grip generating a mouthwatering feel.

Exuding a sense of refinement, the Hospices de Beaune Beaune 1er Cru Cuvee Brunet 2011 is crafted with meticulous precision, embodying the epitome of expert Burgundy winemaking. Esteem of the prestigious Hospices de Beaune vineyard, located within Burgundy's acclaimed Beaune region, lends delegates this sumptuous offering.

This exquisite blend is a result of a steadfast commitment to quality and tradition, assembled through exploiting the famed terroir. By meticulous orchestration, the wine sees 14 months in new French oak barrels, culminating in a tantalising harmony of rich fruit and nuanced wood complexity.

The Hospices de Beaune Beaune 1er Cru Cuvee Brunet 2011 captures the very essence of Beaune, with a complexity, elegance and robust structure which does justice to its intricate origin. Encompassing expansive layers encased within tranquil subtlety, this vintage reflects the dedication of the winemakers and the superior quality of the 2011 grape harvest.

Wine Advocate (92)

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. There is quite a lot of reduction on the nose of the Volnay Clos de la Bousse d'Or, but underneath is some quite decent redcurrant and fresh strawberry fruit that gradually unfurls in the glass. There is still some oak here to be resolved, but there is sufficient substance here to suggest that patience is all that is needed. The palate is medium-bodied and fleshy on the opening. This is soft and caressing in the mouth with quite a sensual and well-balanced finish that neatly carries the oak. This is well crafted but will improve with another 18-24 months in bottle.

Wine Advocate (95)

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Bâtard-Montrachet 2011 from Anne-Claude Leflaive is slightly deeper in color than its peers. The nose is a little austere at first, but it unfolds nicely with impressive mineral (slate and flint) scents, well defined and poised. The palate is well balanced with a keen thread of acidity. There is a bright citric heart to this Bâtard-Montrachet with fleeting touches of nectarine and citrus lemon joining the edgy mineral finish. This is a classy Grand Cru – regal but not imposing.

Wine Advocate (95)

The 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru was picked on August 25, the earliest harvest in the history of the Domaine Leflaive, and the resulting wine was another of the sleepers in this tasting, unfurling in the glass with an attractive bouquet of white flowers, fresh peach, tangerine, pear, pastry cream and warm bread. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, expansive and satiny textured, with a layered and open-knit core that's fleshy but lively, concluding with a long and precise finish. This is a forward Chevalier from Leflaive that's already drinking well, but it's a superb effort.

Wine Spectator (94)

This bright version evokes lime blossom, apple, hazelnut and stone notes. Lean and athletic, presenting a firm yet refined structure and a long finish of citrus and mineral. The oak is beautifully integrated. Best from 2016 through 2026. 326 cases imported. -BS

Wine Advocate (94)

The 2011 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru has a sedate, refined bouquet or raspberry preserve, wild strawberry and a touch of wild hedgerow – airy and lifted. The palate is silky smooth on the entry. It is very harmonious and feminine with a succulent, sweet red currant and strawberry finish with just a tincture of vanilla. This is gorgeous and very seductive.

Vinous (94+)

The 2011 Corton-Charlemagne impresses for its energy and crystalline purity. Warm smoke and slate nuances add complexity to a wine that manages to be both richly textured yet also weightless and transparent. An eternal finish graced with hints of apricot and wild flowers leaves a lasting impression as the wine gains volume through to the finish. This is a dazzling showing.