2011 Georges Duboeuf Morgon Jean Descombes

Duboeuf’s 2011 Morgon J. E. Descombes – from the domaine formerly known as “Jean Descombes,” and whose namesake after more than five decades recently passed the reins to has daughter Nicole – delivers the sort of sappy, sweetly ripe and abundant fruit (cherry, black raspberry and purple plum) that wine lovers have come to expect from this bottling, complemented by lily-like inner-mouth floral perfume and high-toned green herbal inflections to its exuberant finish. This fine value should drink well at least through 2015. I would not have expected any less an enthusiastic account of their 2011 vintage than was offered me by George and Franck Duboeuf, but more to the point, they poured me as consistently excellent and interesting a collection as I have ever experienced at this address. Potential alcohol levels came in almost entirely over 12% with only a few wines being chaptalized, and certainly none were in the least compromised by elevated alcohol. (Nor, I was told, did any acidification take place.) Early August heat spikes, opined George Duboeuf, furthered early maturation while avoiding either vine shut-down or prematurely excessive accumulation of sugar. Duboeuf thinks the differences from one site to another are especially pronounced this vintage, and cites its collection of Morgons in particular as “among the strongest I’ve had in years,” both observations entirely consistent with my experience. It is from a desire to showcase the natural purity of fruit that characterizes the 2011 vintage, says Duboeuf, that he elected to raise only one so-called cuvee speciale (i.e. one raised in barrique) this year, a Fleurie. (Bottlings not designated other than by their appellation represent what this house and the trade generally refer to as “flower label.”) Importer: Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463