2011 Beaune Greves Vignes de l'Enfant Jesus
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The 2011 Beaune 1er Cru Grèves from Bouchard Père has an open and generous bouquet that is far more inviting than the other Beaune Grèves in this group. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp and quite succulent tannins, well-judged acidity and a bright, vibrant finish that has a citrus-like intensity. Long in the mouth, this is a well-crafted and quite delicious Pinot that shows off the propitious nature of its terroir.
Critic scores
Average Score
Allen Meadows, Burghound
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Medium red. Musky aromas of plum, redcurrant, strawberry, dried flowers, underbrush and spicecake. Juicy and firm-edged, in fact a bit youthfully ungiving, with saline minerality complicating the redcurrant and earth flavors. Not a particularly sweet style owing to its impression of acidity but stylish for Beaune wine. Finishes with dusty tannins and an appealing pomegranate bitterness. (Incidentally, my bottle of the Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvee Carnot led off with a tangy, fresh nose but was thin and hard on the palate and dry on the finish, showing little in the way of fruit sweetness.)
12-15 months in oak, about 30-50% new. Mid crimson. More spicy and less immediately perfumed than the Clos de la Mousse. Refined, fairly slight, a little dry and light on the finish. (JH)
Good bright, deep red. Black fruits, dark chocolate, menthol and spicy oak on the nose and palate. At once plush and vibrant, with a stony note contributing grip. Quite concentrated for this cuvee, which is usually more delicate. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and lovely length.
About the producer
Bouchard Père & Fils is one of Burgundy’s oldest and most established wine producers. Founded in 1731 by Michel Bouchard, it is the largest vineyard owner in the Côte d’Or with 130 hectares of vines.