2011 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes Mares

(91 Points) The 2011 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru is surprisingly reticent on the nose, perhaps suffering a little bottle shock. It is eventually possible to eke out pleasant raspberry, pomegranate and mineral notes, but they remain impossibly tightly-wound. The palate is medium-bodied with a gentle grip on the entry. It is more approachable than either the 2009 or 2010 (as would be expected) with a hint of salted licorice on the entry and attractive citric notes pushing the minerals forward on the finish. Drink 2015-2025. ”April was the hottest for sixty years,” winemaker Francois Millet explained apropos the 2012 vintage. “It sounds strange, but we were hoping for a cool summer to delay the cycle and preserve the freshness. We could have picked on mid-August if the summer had been average. In the end, the vintage was interesting as the minerality is just the right amount. It is a four o’clock vintage?you can just sit there and enjoy it.” Francois summed up the wines himself. To be frank, I still am trying to fathom the style of de Vogue, which I sometimes feel are almost too premeditated, as if so much thought has been expended upon them that they forget the one fundamental?to elicit enjoyment. So while I appreciated the purity of these 2011s, I asked myself whether they would be the same ones that I would choose off the list at what would ineluctably be an expensive dinner. Importer: Becky Wasserman Selection (various importers), Le Serbet, Beaune; fax 011-33-3-80-24-29-70.  eRobertParker.com #208, Aug 2013