Mongeard Mugneret

Vincent Mongeard elegantly describes 2011 as a "vintage where yields were once again constrained. We had a bit of rot but really not enough to be a significant concern. We of course sort thoroughly but it's getting harder and harder to find qualified harvesters so much of the detailed sorting is necessarily done when the fruit arrives at the cuverie. Because the crop was both ripe and clean it was relatively easy to vinify and the only trick was to constantly taste so that you knew when there was just enough extraction but not too much as 2011 is not a super dense vintage where you could do almost whatever you wanted and still wind up with balanced wines. So even though I did not plan it in advance, when I felt we had the right level of extraction it turned out to be a slightly shorter cuvaison than I typically do though we're talking only one to two days shorter. I also used some whole clusters in certain wines but really only a few. Overall, the wines are exceptionally pretty and while I wouldn't call 2011 a great vintage, it's certainly a very good to excellent one." I would call the Mongeard 2011s as very much performing in-line with the overall quality of the vintage. I would in particular call your attention to the Boudots and the old vines Echézeaux, if for no other reason than it's the last vintage for this particular parcel that has been historically used to produce the Echézeaux Vieille Vignes, as it was donated to the Hospices de Beaune by its owner. BURGHOUND