2011 Domaine de la Vougeraie, Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru

The domaine's 2011 Batard-Montrachet is gorgeous in its first vintage. Honey, chamomile, yellow stone fruits and spices swirl around in the glass in a rich, layered Burgundy full of potential. I imagine the 2011 will flesh out nicely with time in bottle and that the flavors will take on more typical buttery and honeyed notes relatively quickly.

Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2011 from Domaine de la Vougeraie is much more reduced on the nose compared to others, with walnut seeping through a little fug of sulfur. The palate has a twist of sour lemon on the entry. There is a lot of work that has gone into this Grand Cru that is assertive and perhaps lacks the refinement of others, though it has the substance to suggest it will repay cellaring.