2011 Vosne-Romanée Aux Reignots 1er 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.