POMMARD

The 2011 Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens from de Courcel shows too much stem addition on the slightly green and earthy nose. The palate is medium-bodied with rather dry tannin, lean and woody towards the charmless finish. Tasted at Flint Wines Burgundy 2011 tasting. Drinking range: 2018 - 2020 Rating: 85 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2019)

Good bright red. Complex, ripe aromas of raspberry, cherry, iron, minerals, spices, pepper and truffley underbrush. The sweetest, supplest and most refined of these 2011s, offering lovely harmonious acidity to its red fruit, red licorice and mineral flavors. Really coats the mouth and vibrates on the long, firmly tannic finish, which features a late burst of ripe but lively red fruits. Winemaker Yves Confuron says the 2011s here have similar precision to the 2010s but more middle, although he believes that the wines have shut down following the September 2013 bottling. Rating: 92 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Mar 2014)

The nose is full of ripe fruit a mix of fleshy black and slightly fresher red. Fruit ripeness enriches the palate a lovely depth of flavour all backed by fine tannins. The finish has a bit more power and depth of flavour. 2015-22 Rating: 93 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Dec 2013)

There is really lovely complexity to the cool, restrained and elegant aromas of ripe red and blue pinot fruit and wet stone nuances that enjoy added refinement from the presence of dried floral elements. There is a suave, round and sophisticated mouth feel to the intensely mineral-driven flavors that are shaped by firm and dense yet fine-grained tannins, all wrapped in a mocha-inflected finish. This is an unusually ripe 2011. 2023+ Rating: 91-93 Allen Meadows, www.Burghound.com (Apr 2013)

Bright red, not quite as deep as the Grand Clos des Epenots. Exotic aromas of red fruits, clove, iron and raw meat are complicated by an almost metallic minerality. Silky, sweet and deep; seriously rich but lively too. The most tangy of these 2011s and the longest too, finishing with very fine-grained tannins and an impression of energy. This has a serious structure for aging and will probably require a good seven or eight years of bottle aging before it approaches its plane of peak drinkability. Rating: 91-93 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Feb 2013)

Rating: 18++ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (Jan 2013)

Rugiens often makes the most Pommard-like of Pommards, with dense, thick, iron-like notes. This one has sweetness and succulence too, with plum and red berry fruit filling out the structure of the wine. Sappy and long. 2018-30 Rating: 95 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Jan 2013)

Light gamey notes and some really crunchy fruit underneath. Set for the long term but within the relatively light canon of 2011. Quite delicately put together. Slightly tough on the end at the moment. 2018-2030 Rating: 16.5+ Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Jan 2013)

Floral aroma, Rose petal and sooo aromatic. Rather refined onto the palate. There is a delicacy with the intensity. Depth and energy in the middle with a firm edge. Plenty of sappy tannic character with a pure, fine finish. There is a mineral puff of chalk and savoury, sappy note on the finish.…towards very fine. I do like this. From 2018 Rating: 18.95 Sarah Marsh MW, The Burgundy Briefing (Nov 2012)