Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2011 from Rousseau was showing too much wood when I tasted it just after bottling. Whereas some 2011s from Rousseau seem to have been handicapped by that, others like this have shrugged it off. Here, it has a more generous bouquet compared to its peers, armed with lush red cherries, strawberry and cassis. The oak vanillin is noticeable but synced with the fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with a plush texture. There is very good depth here and arresting purity – red cherries strawberry and candied orange peel that segue into a citrus fresh and vibrant finish with plenty of energy and race. Superb.

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A potently expressive nose blends both wood and natural spice together with distinctly cool, pure and ripe wild red berries, earth and underbrush. The palate impression is a gorgeous combination of power and refinement along with flat out superb complexity on the explosively long, focused and beautifully well-balanced finish. The supporting structure is dense but fine and this should prove to be a moderately long-lived example.

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