2011 Echézeaux Grand Cru

The 2011 growing season got off to a very early start, as it did throughout the region. Fruit was brought in beginning on August 31, the earliest harvest ever at Grivot. Marielle Grivot is quick to put things into perspective. In 2003, the number of days from flowering to harvest was just 78, while in 2011 it was 100-104, which is to say right on the money in terms of what are considered normal parameters. The fruit was 100% destemmed, typical for the house, and the wines were lightly chaptalized, a choice Grivot made in order to preserve as much acidity as possible in the field. New oak ranges from 20% for the entry-level wines to 50-60% for the Grand Crus, although new oak and toast levels in general are trending down. I tasted these 2011s in two different moments. The wines scored in brackets were tasted in November 2012, prior to having been racked, while the wines with final scores were tasted from bottle in November 2013. The four bottled wines I tasted all performed inline with my barrel tastings, with the exception of the Beaux Monts, so I am providing both notes for that wine.

Etienne Grivot described the 2011 growing season as "completely crazy.The fruit began showing signs of surmaturite by August 25, and beginning on about September 5 the acid structure of the grapes deteriorated."He noted that the crop level was down about 35% from normal, whereas it was down 40% in 2010 and 45% in 2012.As has been the case with so many other growers--and even more so on the Cote de Beaune than on the Cote de Nuits--Grivot lost the equivalent of more than one full crop over the past three harvests.Grivot destems his fruit completely but does not crush it as he believes this helps the "touch" of the tannins.He also believes that vendange entier diminishes the impression of terroir.Grivot told me that he only carried out a single punchdown of the cap for each cuvee in 2011.The wines showed well in November, although most of them should gain in sweetness and flesh from a racking; I would not be at all surprised if most of these wines ultimately merited ratings at the high end of my projected ranges.