Vintage Report 2011

The 2011 Burgundy Briefing Vintage Report is an in-depth assessment of the 2011 vintage on the Côte d’Or. The summer came in spring and the autumn in summer yielding lighter style reds and fragrant, slimmer whites.

The report has become a valuable tool for buying the expensive wines wines of Burgundy, but remans true its original concept to be an engaging insight into the region, aimed at those who wish to keep informed about Burgundy’s latest vintage and its people.

There are two comprehensivevintage reports, one for red wine another for white, which follow a similar format. They include plenty of contributions from the growers and hence cover 55 pages, however I summarise first with a few key facts.

Vintage Vantage Point

  • The defining factors of the season which have shaped the wines.
  • Analysis: Considering sugar, acidity and tannins and how they are balanced.
  • How the vintage was handled in winery.
  • Style is considered with plenty of contributions from the growers.
  • Quality; my assessment and the growers’ opinions.
  • Vintage comparions.
  • Villages and vineyards:
  • Villages: An overview of each of the principal villages on the Côte d’Or; the style and quality of the village wines and specific lieux-dits (named vineyards).
  • Vineyards: Drilling down into the premier and grand crus within the villages, which vineyards stood out or under-performed.
  • Ageing capacity and when to drink the wines.
  • Pricing and the market in and for Burgundy, reflecting the growers’ perspective and my observations.

Tasting Notes

The bulk of the report consists of approximately 270 pages of tasting notes with introductions to each domaine or negoce (85 visits). The wines were evaluated and those which stood out in each cellar were marked with an asterisk.

Selection of favourite wines

A red and white ‘hit’ lists; my pick of the favourite wine from each cellar.

Older Vintages

As usual I like to include some vertical flights of premier cru to consider how past vintages are developing and when it is best to drink them.

The highlight for the reds this year was a tasting of 14 vintages of Domaine Michel Gros, Vosne-Romanée, Clos de Reas 1992, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2001, 03, 04 05, 06, 07, 08, 09

Vintage Review of White Wines from 2000-2012.

I began a review of whites this year, which I have updated in subsequent reports. The review was based on the following tastings, which are included in the domaine entry.

  • Domaine Patrick Javillier, Meursault, Tête De Murgers 2002 to 2009
  • Domaine Remi Jobard, Meursault, Genevrières 2000 to 2009
  • Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet et Fils, Saint-Aubin, Murgers des Dents de Chien 2005 to 2010
  • Domaine Bruno Colin, Chassagne Montrachet, Truffière 2004 to 2010
  • Domaine Paul Pillot, Chassagne-Montrachet, La Romanée 2004 to 2010


This substantial report can be purchased for £65. It will be emailed as pdfs on receipt of payment via Paypal. If you wish to purchase it by cheque or by bank transfer, please contact me by email. The pdfs are sent manually, so please be patient if you do not receive it immediately, particularly in May, June and October when I am in Burgundy.