2011 Louis Jadot Domaine des Heritiers Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Grand Cru

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Chevalier-Montrachet les Demoiselle 2011 has quite a lot of prominent new oak on the nose that is rather detracting from the delineation at the moment. It seems to have just gone into its shell since I last tasted it. However, the palate is appealingly balanced and smooth. Yes, it seems a little commercial at first but then it gains depth and intensity with aeration, the minerality, its stony heart, beginning to become more pronounced, especially on the finish. I do not think it possesses the harmony and focus of the 2012, but it is still an impressive Grand Cru.

(this wine was in 40% new oak during the first half of its elevage): Highly nuanced nose combines wet stone, white flowers, hazelnut juice, clove, noble herbs and a whiff of vanilla. Ripe, silky and round; the deepest and most layered of these 2011s to this point but also boasts terrific lemon-and-stone energy for a wine with such a plump, generous texture. Finishes extremely long and subtle, with a repeating hint of sexy vanillin oak. A knockout.

An ultra-pure, beautifully complex and high-toned nose of wet stone, spiced pear and acacia blossom and green apple is trimmed in just enough oak to notice. The markedly stony broad-shouldered and tautly muscular flavors possess almost painful intensity on the crystalline and explosively long finish. 2011 is a vintage where the Demoiselles is bigger than it typically is yet there is absolutely no loss of refinement or elegance. This is definitely going to require time in bottle but it should more than be worth the wait. Tasted: Jun 15, 2014. Drink: 2021+