2011 Meursault Goutte d'Or

Pale straw-yellow. Very closed on the nose (these wines were bottled barely a month prior to my visit). Then surprisingly expressive in the mouth, but with penetrating acidity framing the sweet flavors of white peach, lemon, mandarin orange and yeasty toasted bread. Less exuberant than the Petits Charrons but the finishing flavors of lemon, crushed stone and vanillin oak show very good sappiness and grip. Fine-grained Meursault with glistening, firm-edged finishing flavors of white peach and rocks. Ente noted that his 2011s mostly finished with between 1.5 and 2 grams per liter of residual sugar, a touch higher than the 2010s, but the slight sweetness is nicely buffered by very healthy acidity in the 4.5 grams-per-liter range.

(picked on August 25): Bright pale yellow. Tangy grapefruit, spices and a whiff of baguette on the nose. Sweeter and riper than the village offerings, with excellent intensity to the lemon and grapefruit flavors. Sappy, tactile wine, finishing chewy and long, with lovely lingering fresh citrus character giving it excellent cut.

Tasted blind in Hong Kong, another bottle providing evidence of just how splendid the Meursault 1er Cru Goutte d'Or 2011 from Arnauld Ente is. The bouquet comes racing out of the blocks with smoke and walnut scents, here tinctured with orange blossom, gaining intensity all the time in the glass. The palate has a hint of white peach on the entry. It is beautifully balanced and full of energy from start to spice-tinged finish. This is just an outstanding contribution to the vintage. Apr 2015, www.robertparker.com