2011 La Romanee

Tasted at the La Romanée vertical at Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair. The 2011 La Romanée Grand Cru has a fragrant and expressive nose, much more outgoing than the 2010 at this early juncture, beautifully defined and more floral. Hints of dried violets and rose petals are generously sprinkled over the candied red fruit intermingling with orange blossom. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, nigh on perfect acidity and a silky texture that will disarm from several paces. It feels long and tender, not unlike the 2007 but with a little more class. This is an impressive follow-up to the 2010 La Romanée and will drink earlier. Tasted June 2015.

The 2011 La Romanée is a huge overachiever. It is also likely to start drinking well sooner than some of the surrounding vintages, although it will take a good decade or so to get there. Creamy, resonant and inviting to the core, the 2011 offers lovely pliancy in its sweet red stone fruit, violet and spice notes. Here, too, the contrast of invigorating freshness and understated power is so alluring to the point of being nearly impossible to describe with words.