Burgundy 2011 A-B

Monday 4 February 2013
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See Burgundy 2011 – a complete guide to our coverageCôte de Nuits and that of the Côte de Beaune.

The wines below are listed by producer in alphabetical order by (sur)name. Within each producer, wines are listed with whites preceding reds and then generally upwards by conventional status, or at least tasting order in the cellar.


DOMAINE STÉPHANE ALADAME

Bought-in grapes. Very light in aroma and on the palate but refreshing and gently creamy. A bit insubstantial. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2013
£137 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
A little more intensity than the straight Montagny. Limey citrus, touch of mushroom. More savoury on the palate. Again, not much substance. (JH)
Drink 2012 – 2014
£147 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
A touch woody (not oaky) on the nose. Bright, light and breezy. Refreshing without great depth though it does linger. (JH)
Drink 2013 – 2015
£152 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Some oak in evidence, lightly creamy and nutty. Tight, lively but on the light side and a nice dry finish; very light, with a slight grip at the very end. (JH)
Drink 2013 – 2015
£157 per case of 12 ib Montrachet

BERTRAND AMBROISE

Slightly odd nose: doesn't really smell of Chardonnnay. Doesn't really smell of much. Soft, creamy, a bit bland. (JH) 13%
Drink 2012 – 2013
£102 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Touch of struck match on the nose. Not much else. Pretty lean and eyewatering. (JH) 13%
Drink 2013 – 2014
£127 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Odd, sort of nutty aroma. Woody (cedary) and tart. (JH) 13%
Drink 2013 – 2014
£152 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Refined with a classic burgundy stony aroma hinting at depths underneath. Firm citrus fruit. Lithe and lively and with a nice textural finish. (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2019
£217 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Delicate fragrance, mostly lemon but also a touch floral and the merest hint of oak. Rather more oaky on the palate. Firm, dry, a baby but already revealing an underlying power and length. (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2025
£577 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Peppery and darker fruit. But there's also a touch of the 2004 pyrazine effect on the palate though the fruit swings back in on the finish. (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2021
£277 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Deep crimson. Lots of dark fruit but a slight stemminess too. Richer on the palate. Firm and dry and balanced. Tasty. (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2023
£397 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Not very much on the nose, some red fruit, a touch meaty and a slight leafiness. Dry and firm on the palate, the tannins quite strident at the moment, giving a drying finish. (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2021
£347 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Ripe cherry allied to a certain stemminess. Chewy but moreish. Then a bit drying on the finish. (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2021
£397 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Mid cherry. Gentle cherry aroma. Slightly meaty taste on the palate. Rounded and fresh. (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£202 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Ripe and slightly meaty dark fruit. Meaty on the palate, too. Firm tannins, pretty dry and young but that meatiness worries me at this early stage. (JH)
Drink 2018 – 2028
£457 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
A touch fresher than the Corton. Then pretty dry and firm on the palate, lacking the fruit to fill out the frame. May take on flesh but I wouldn't pay this for it. (JH)
Drink 2017 – 2027
£792 per case of 12 ib Montrachet

DOMAINE GUY AMIOT

Lime/lemon fruit and a touch of blossom with only a hint of oak, opening up to refined fragrance. Oak much more in evidence on the palate in a mealy creamy texture and some spice, less delicate and more intense than I expected from the aroma. (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£27.08 per bottle ib Bancroft
Much more toasty on the nose than the Macherelles, even a hint of smoky char. Full in the mouth though drops away a little at the end. Slight bitterness on the finish. The oak seems a little heavy handed but may well come into better balance. (JH)
Drink 2015 – 2019
£27.08 per bottle ib Bancroft
Restrained first impression, giving almost nothing away. Refined and more mineral than fruit on the palate, though there's some citrus lapping at the edges. Tight and long and well defined with a minerally finish, the oak eaten up by the wine. (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2020
£29.58 per bottle ib Bancroft
Oak a little more evident on the nose than on the Vergers but more in a creamy oatmeal aroma than toast or char. Delicate hint of orange flower water. Mouthwatering and zesty on the palate with a fine mineral backbone and creamy oak spice. Lovely fresh length. (JH)
Drink 2015 – 2021
£29.58 per bottle ib Bancroft
Fine citrus aroma and something very very lightly floral as well as creamy to add complexity. Softer on the palate than I expected, quite gentle in the mouth but persistent, if not especially powerful, with a mineral finish. (JH)
Drink 2015 – 2021
£29.58 per bottle ib Bancroft

DOMAINE AMIOT-SERVELLE

Mid cherry. Bright peppery red-fruit aroma. A touch green on the palate and not particularly generous in fruit. (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2016
£132 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Ripe and fresh red fruit. Just a hint of exotic spice. Then a bit slight and dry on the palate with a bit of a hollow in the middle. (JH)
Drink 2015 – 2018
£277 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Mid cherry red. Red fruit, light pepper. Tight and refined and on the slim side but just in balance to give an elegant whole. (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2024
£327 per case of 12 ib Montrachet
Watery cherry red. Pretty lean on the palate with a stemmy dryness. May take on weight but it is always going to be on the slight side. (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2021
£482 per case of 12 ib Montrachet

DOMAINE ARLAUD

Light cherry red. Rich and sweet and flattering at first and then pretty dry finish. Bumptious and easy. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2018
£118 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb
Smells like damp webbing – a not unfamiliar phenomenon. Lots of jewelly fruit but overall a bit sharp. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2022
£270 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb
Lightly gamey and a hint of liquorice. Chewy finish. A bit angular for a Chambolle. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2023
£270 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb
Dark crimson. Rich and ripe on the nose. A slightly mousy note overlays it, oddly. But there is no shortage of flavour! Very sweet and almost soft. Clean finish. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2024
£425 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb
Round and flattering. Transparent fruit. Attractive combination. Quite racy. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2026
£380 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb
Bright ruby. Very intense nose. Sweet and winning. Very cuddly wine that may be a bit too sweet for purists but should seduce neophytes. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2027
£355 per case of 6 ib OW Loeb

DOMAINE DE L'ARLOT

Creamy lemon/lime with an attractive, delicate grip. Refined and fresh. GV (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£87 per case of 6 ib Howard Ripley
Polished with a certain sweet sleekness. Very solid wine that should be rewarding. Substantial beginning, middle and end to this wine. Violet cachous on the finish already. But I can't see much point in extended ageing. (JR)
Drink 2013 – 2016
£240 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
Floral nose and lots of substance. Lots of acidity and no richness but no shortage of density. Good balance and structure; it just looks a bit expensive… (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£445 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
Easy and relaxed. Maybe not the freshest but with lots of ripe fruit. Dry finish. Crowd pleasing. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2023
£180 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis, £87 per case of 6 ib Howard Ripley
Lively cherry fruit on the nose. Dry and a bit skimpy in the fruit department. (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£135 per case of 6 ib Howard Ripley
Bright cherry red. Slightly harsh acidity. Solid. Not the most charming. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2023
£220 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
Mid crimson. Very rich and sweet and jewelly. Maybe not for purists but hedonists might like it… (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2027
£450 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
Sweet and quite rich and flattering. Quite juicy. Firm finish. Satsifying even if not earth-moving. Sandpaper finish. But lively. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2025
£260 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
Dense and drier than most of the wines from this domaine. But very concentrated and solid. Convincing and not too manipulated. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2030
£450 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis

DOMAINE ARNOUX-LACHAUX

Bright crimson. Quite brutal and chestnut skin-like. Is this one of those Bourgogne vinified as though it were a grand cru...? Concentrated. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2018
£165 per case of 12 ib Armit, £165 per case of 12 ib Jeroboams
A bit light and unassuming, especially after the liveliness of the Hudelot Noëllat Chambolle-Musigny. Good, though rudimentary. (RH)
Drink 2014 – 2020
£420 per case of 12 ib Jeroboams
Rich and sumptuous. Lots of pleasure. Round (compared with the Méo-Camuzet wines I have just been tasting). Very flattering and chock full of rather sweet fruit. Great for hedonists. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2024
£420 per case of 12 ib Lay & Wheeler, £420 per case of 12 ib Jeroboams
Lots of fruit at the beginning. Then pretty tough. A sort of braggadocio wine. Lots going on there but it's all a tad brash. Tough finish. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2023
£420 per case of 12 ib Armit
Fragrant, but slightly withheld fruit. Light body. Tight structure. Not mean, but not generous. (RH)
Drink 2015 – 2025
£395 per case of 12 ib Jeroboams
Lots of excitement here. Real lift and richness. Good ageing potential too. Exciting. Energetic. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2028
£285 per case of 6 ib Lay & Wheeler, £285 per case of 6 ib Jeroboams
Big and bold and dry on the end. Tastes as though there were long extractions here. I'm not totally convinced. Bitter finish. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2022
£335 per case of 6 ib Armit, £335 per case of 6 ib Jeroboams
A little subdued after the Nuits Procès. All tucked in for the future but a bit demanding for the moment. Lots of sleek succulent fruit on the finish. (JR)
Drink 2018 – 2030
£350 per case of 6 ib Lay & Wheeler, £350 per case of 6 ib Jeroboams
Solid but with enough fruit to distract from the tannins. Solid but not quite enough pace for a Vosne, I feel. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2025
£350 per case of 6 ib Armit
Big, bold and a little cheesy on the nose. There is some transparency here and this wine is clearly superior to the rest of the range. Dry finish but lots of rich, reverberant fruit on the way there. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2025
£695 per case of 6 ib Armit, £695 per case of 6 ib Jeroboams

DOMAINE CHARLES AUDOIN

Lightly smokily reductive aroma pierced by clean-cut stony citrus. Good intensity and a light grip to the texture. Refined, subtle but still has a definite personality. (JH)
Drink 2013 – 2015
£156 per case of 12 ib Clark Foyster
Mid cherry red. Lots of bright, red fruit – lovely fruit depth, rounded and welcoming but serious too and finishes with freshness. Delicious. GV (JH)
Drink 2014 – 2019
£156 per case of 12 ib Clark Foyster
Deepish cherry. Again, lovely fruit with a slightly more savoury aspect than the Marie Ragonneau and slightly more structured by the tannins. Very very slight leafy taste adds freshness. Both fruity and refined. GV (JH)
Drink 2016 – 2021
£204 per case of 12 ib Clark Foyster

Mid to deep cherry. Fragrant and red fruited, closer to the Marie Ragonneau on the nose. Rich, juicy and still refined. Fine, firm but velvety feel to the tannins. GV (JH)

Drink 2016 – 2021
£192 per case of 12 ib Clark Foyster
Textured, aromatic, herby red burgundy on the nose. Lightweight palate with a LOT of acidity. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2018
£170 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
Bright crimson. Perfumed ripe fruit but a bit rustic in texture. Still lots of tannin. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2020
£195 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
Liqueur-like on the nose. Very lively. Lots of energy. A little burly and coarse on the finish. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2018
£185 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis
A little lighter than the Marsannays, in colour and fruit weight. A little more leafy/stemmy but not overly so and full of energy and freshness. Fruit lingers on the finish. Good length. (JH)
Drink 2015 – 2019
£216 per case of 12 ib Clark Foyster
Very bright ruby. Juicy fruits at first in a sheath of tannins and some oak. Not very sophisticated but well meant. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2020
£275 per case of 12 ib Goedhuis

DOMAINE DENIS BACHELET

Blend of casks from Gevrey. Pure fruit, almost cassis in expression. Fresh and harmonious. Lots of fruit! (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2018
Quite high up the slope above Brochon. 30% new oak; I’m tasting half and half.
Very easy, round, fresh fruit with direct appeal. Not very intense nor persistent but lots of charm. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2020
75-year-old vines. 1.5 ha in total.
Real complexity on the nose. Mossy and autumnal. But relatively light and fresh and fruity on the palate. Because the wine is quite light, the acidity seems quite marked. Racy and easy on the palate, although I expect it will take on weight. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2024
£215 per case of 6 ib A&B Vintners
Vines mainly planted in the 1920s. Cold spot next to Mazis and Chambertin so usually a bit closed.
Scented and intriguing. Definitely more substance than the village wine with a bit of tannin noticeable for the first time. Very fresh and damson-like fruit. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2027
£295 per case of 6 ib A&B Vintners
Normally eight barrels produced; in 2012 they made three and a half. Coopers must have sold many feuillettes in 2012.
Muscular chestnut nose. Really quite rich for a 2011 and yet supple. Approaching richness, anyway, though low key. Very good for a 2011; a little muted overall. Trademark richness. Very clean and pure. He wanted to make wines for gourmandise and regrets that no English word exists. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2027
£poa per case of 3 ib A&B Vintners

DOMAINE JEAN-CLAUDE BACHELET

A bit sweet and round and soft. Fine but not quite exciting enough. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2020
£186 per case of 12 ib Berry Bros & Rudd
Racy and lively, cool and well delineated. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2024
£210 per case of 6 ib Berry Bros & Rudd

DOMAINE BACHELET-MONNOT

Pure, zingy nose with a hint of honey. Very firm structure. Almost austere! But excellent for purists. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2016
£115 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Clean and firm with good substance on the palate and lots of citrus – plus a hint of citrus peel. Just a tad stolid. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2019
£275 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Exciting savoury nose with a whiff of reduction. Juicy fruit. Real substance as well as structure. For the long term. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2021
£485 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Quite a broad nose. Lots to chew on, as with the Bourgogne, but clean as a whistle. Quite solid. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2017
£190 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Refined and crystalline with enough fruit in the middle and the merest hint of something floral. Very marked acidity as well as good body. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2020
£415 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Broad on the nose but tenser on the palate than many a Bâtard. Very youthful and definitely tight which few Bâtards tend to be. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2023
£1,295 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Quite finely chiselled but with fresh fruit. A pretty wine without quite as much flesh as the Bourgogne Blanc but refreshing. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2017
£115 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Jewel-bright fruit. A dry finish after rather an opulent hit of bitter cherry fruit. I can't see this as a long-distance runner. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2017
£160 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks

DOMAINE BALLOT-MILLOT

Some Puligny vines but mainly from Les Grandes Coutures, below Meursault village.
Very tight and ambitious. Tightly wound, great stuff! Quite long. VGV (JR)
Drink 2013 – 2016
£132 per case of 12 ib Flint
Below Volnay-Santenots. Racy and rich – a good and rare combo in 2011. Very satisfying and a fair price. GV (JR)
Drink 2013 – 2018
£295 per case of 12 ib Flint
A little more restrained than the Criots but fine, chalky and chewy. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£315 per case of 12 ib Flint
Quite meaty and full. Polished, dense and accomplished. It grows on the finish. It's not the best Perrières of the year but it is very good. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2021
£265 per case of 6 ib Flint
Racy, savoury, lively, and well defined. Very appetising. Long. Very good! (JR) 13.5%
Drink 2016 – 2023
£498 per case of 12 ib Lay & Wheeler
Excellent tension with good terroir expression. Racy with some citrus as well as the spring broom scents. Transparent. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2019
£250 per case of 6 ib Flint
A little low key on the nose and very edgy on the palate. Not quite charmes...! But well defined. Just fades a bit on the end. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2021
£tbc per case of 12 ib Lay & Wheeler

DOMAINE DANIEL ET JULIEN BARRAUD

Smoky and satisfying. Greengage fruits. Tingly finish. GV (JR)

Drink 2014 – 2018
£78 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman

Rich and also smoky. Lots of energy here. Doesn't really taste like Mâcon (much more concentrated) though it has a honey character. Chewy mineral finish suggests a relatively long life. (JR)

Drink 2015 – 2020
£96 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman

Lively, lean with green notes. Dry finish. Just a little low key. (JR)

Drink 2015 – 2018
£105 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman

Lively and tense with strong green notes. Hazelnut notes. Some tension. Crunchy. (JR)

Drink 2014 – 2018
£144 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman

Fine and tight and restrained. This should be really rather glorious eventually. Exciting but definitely Pouilly-Fuissé rather than Côte d'Or. (Nothing wrong with that!) (JR)

Drink 2016 – 2025
£183 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman

Broad and rich! So much delivery for the money. Precisely sculpted even if from broader fruit than on the Côte d'Or. Very well done. Neat. (JR)

Drink 2015 – 2020
£183 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman

Lots of acidity and structure. Very ambitious. Undertow of throat lozenge… (JR)

Drink 2016 – 2024
£192 per case of 12 ib Lea & Sandeman

DOMAINE GHISLAINE BARTHOD

Mid crimson. Lots there. You really wouldn't be surprised to learn that this was a Chambolle. As usual this is a banker of the vintage – if the term banker has not become too demonised. Well done – great structure. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2019
£165 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks, £155 per case of 12 ib A&B Vintners
Lively – good energy. Dry finish but very solid and correct. Feet on the ground though. Bit dry on the end. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2024
£tbc per case of 6 ib Berry Bros & Rudd, £170 per case of 6 ib A&B Vintners
Subtle, almost hidden nose. Then lots underneath including dense fruit and tad more acidity than most. Rather dusty and mossy on the end. Needs time. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2024
£675 per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Pretty dark ruby. Sweet start and marked acidity. Hint of chestnuts but real life and animation here. Plus some relatively luscious fruit. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2026
£poa per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks
Firm and fine with lots of fruit and structure and a bit of tannin but quite enough fruit to trump it. Remarkably, this tastes more Barthod than 2011. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2027
£396 per case of 6 ib Lay & Wheeler, £335 per case of 6 ib A&B Vintners
Fresh and silky. Dense and dry on the end. Slightly bitter notes. (JR)
Drink 2016 – 2026
£330 per case of 6 ib Berry Bros & Rudd
Aromatic lift and density. An unusually long-distance runner. A bit dry on the end. (JR)
Drink 2017 – 2024
£poa per case of 12 ib Justerini & Brooks

DOMAINE ROGER BELLAND

Light with crunchy fruit and the merest hint of sulphur – unusual nowadays! Loose. (JR)
Drink 2014 – 2018
£189 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb
Mid ruby. Lots of fruit and already some evolution. Rather indistinct, smudgy impression but friendly already. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2021
£185 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb
Perfumed with very flattering fruit. Some fresh acidity – true to terroir rather than big. Fine boned. (JR)
Drink 2015 – 2021
£235 per case of 12 ib OW Loeb

DOM DE BELLENE...