Clos de la Roche 2011 150cl

The 2011 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru has a more immediate bouquet than the Clos Saint Denis. The 90% new oak is neatly absorbed and allows lovely black currant, raspberry leaf and oyster shell scents to shine. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy ripe tannins on the entry. It is nicely focused with fine tension and poise toward the finish. It is still primal of course but this shows good class. Drink now-2029. I have been visiting Jeremy and Alec Seysses at Domaine Dujac for several years now, and it is always one of my favorite ports of call. Alec, looking surprisingly chipper for a new dad had taken time off nappy duty to guide me through the 2011s this year. I have to confess that I was concerned by the conspicuous nature of the new oak on both their negociant label wines and the entry Village Crus. I felt that 35% new oak tended to overwhelm the fruit and terroir and occasionally impart drying finishes, which is why my scores are parsimonious here. As I tasted through the range toward the flock of Grand Crus the oak seemed better assimilated, although I would still maintain that the wine is of such quality that the present level of oak risks being superfluous to requirements. All the negociant label wines were bottled before Christmas.