2011 Gevrey Chambertin Les Corbeaux Vieilles Vignes
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Tasting notes
The 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Corbeaux 1er Cru has a refined and elegant bouquet that seduces thanks to its purity. There is brightness here, a clarity that Denis Bachelet imbues in so many of his wines. The palate is smooth and sensual on the entry with a fine bead of acidity, still maybe a little oaky, with plenty of “ rondeur ” on the finish that is tinged by fig and brown spices. Excellent. Tasted at Flint Wines Burgundy 2011 tasting.
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Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
Medium red. Sexy, come-hither aromas of redcurrant, licorice and roast coffee, complicated by game and subtle soil tones. Juicy, spicy and sweet, with lovely definition to its dark berry, candied blackberry and saline mineral flavors. This very nicely balanced wine finishes with broad, dusty tannins and excellent length. Give this three or four years in the cellar to broaden out. (Incidentally, my sample of the Gevrey-Chambertin, though dark and silky, showed a slightly flat chocolate liqueur quality, but I tasted that wine from a 375-millimeter bottle.)
Bachelet's 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Corbeaux needs time in the glass to open up. Always a bit reticent in its youth, the Corbeaux is deceptively medium-in body, yet there is plenty of energy lurking in the background. I would give the Corbeaux a few more years in bottle to fully come around.
The 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Corbeaux has a hint of savory meat infusing the dark red berry fruit profile: pomegranate, cranberry and a sprig of bay leaf. This is very complex. The palate is medium-bodied with a mineral-rich entry, wonderful acidity and a long shimmering finish with brilliant tension. This regal 2011 should drink well over the next 15 to 20 years. Drink 2015-2028. When tasting through Denis Bachelet’s 2012s, he invited a run through his 2011s that provided a lucid juxtaposition between the two vintages, while reaffirming the commonly held notion that Denis has an innate ability to transcend the limitations of the growing season. His 2011s are some of the best you will find in the appellation from top to bottom, though in my mind the 2012s are more crystalline and contain more matiere. Here, I have also included two mature vintages of his jewel, Charmes-Chambertin: the 1987 a little gem from a forgotten vintage and the 2004, a potentially great wine besmirched by those seemingly ubiquitous “green meanies.” Importer: A Becky Wasserman Selection, Le Serbet, various American importers, including: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; AOC Imports, CA; tel. (415) 279-8708; Toepfer Imports LLC, CO; tel. (303) 818-7640. Also available in UK through Howard Ripley, Berry Brothers & Rudd, Wine Society and A&B Vintners.