2011 Pomerol Guide to the Best Wines of the Vintage

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This is a guide to the best 2011 Pomerol wines and values from the appellation on the 2011 Bordeaux vintage.

2011 Bel Air From 100% Merlot planted in 6 hectares situated close to Trotanoy, the wine is aged in 20% new oak. The wine is soft textured, medium bodied and has a cherry-dominated personality. 86-88 Pts

2011 Bon Pasteur  Chocolate, floral and boysenberry notes are easily found in the perfume.  Silk and velvet tannins with rich, round textures and a sweet, ripe cocoa and fresh plum personality are found in this wine. 92-94 Pts

2011 Bourgneuf –, Earth, red cherry, spice and strawberry with a soft, forward red berry finish. From a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.  87-88 Pts

2011 La Cabanne – Medium bodied with kirsch and earth, this is a Pomerol to enjoy young. 85-87 Pts

2011 Certan de May – Deep ruby in color with earth, truffle, cherry blossom and cocoa scents, supple texture with polished, fresh plum and cherry sensations in the finish. 92-93 Pts

2011 La Clemence – Truffle, earth, minerality, flowers, ripe cherries and coffee with  round textures and ripe tannins are followed by a ripe plum and cocoa finish. 88-90 Pts

2011 Clinet  –  From 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 13.5% alcohol and will be aged in 55% new oak, which is slightly less than the property used in recent previous vintages. Deep purple in color, truffle, chocolate, boysenberry, spice box and black cherry liqueur come alive with little effort. Sexy, rich, opulent and concentrated with pure chocolate-covered dark berries, this is a wine of pleasure and elegance. 95-96 Pts

2011 Le Clos du Beau-Pere – From 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 14% alcohol and will be aged in 100% new oak. Deep in color with toast, chocolate, coffee, plum and licorice, the wine is round, fresh and filled with ripe, juicy plum and dark chocolate. 88-90 Pts

2011 Clos du Clocher – Sweet, round, ripe and polished with ample plum and chocolate. 89-91 Pts

2011 Clos L’Eglise – The wine opened with chocolate, floral, oak and boysenberry aromas. From an assemblage of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, at 14.2% alcohol, this tasty, flashy wine ended with fresh cocoa and black raspberry. 90-93 Pts

2011 Clos Rene – Earthy cherries, medium body and a bitter chocolate, bright cherry finish. 87-89 Pts

2011 La Conseillante – From 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc, the wine will be aged in 80% new oak. The wine reached 13.4% alcohol. Flowers, truffle, black raspberry, coffee, spice and earthy scents create a complex perfume.  Pure silk and velvet with ample freshness, acidity and chalky tannins. This is a classic vintage for La Conseillante. 93-94 Pts

2011 La Conseillante Duo  – Combining 95% Merlot with Cabernet Franc, this is an easy-to-drink Pomerol that should be enjoyable on release. 86-89 Pts

2011 La Croix St. Georges From a blend of 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, the wine is aged in 100% new oak, 50% of which are cigar-shaped barrels.  Medium-bodied with cherry and a black raspberry finish. 88-90 Pts.

2011 La Croix Taillefer – 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc produced an earthy, simple cherry and red berry wine.  87-89 Pts

2011 L’Eglise Clinet – From 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the wine is aged in 80% new oak.  Complex aromas of flowers, chocolate, plum and truffle build in the perfume. On the palate, the wine is silk and velvet. This is a powerful, lush, rich, tannic, full-bodied and structured vintage of L’Eglise Clinet. It will require time to age, soften and develop. 95-96 Pts

2011 Petite Eglise From 100% Merlot planted on gravel soils, the wine will be aged in 50% new oak. Kirsch, earth and black cherry, medium body and fresh red cherries are found in this forward-styled little brother of L’Eglise Clinet. 89-90 Pts

2011 L’Enclos Produced from 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec. The Malbec is added to bring more density to the wine. Cocoa, flowers, black raspberries, medium body, soft textures and a round cherry finish are found in this Pomerol. 88-89 Pts

2011 L’Evangile From a blend of 94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, the wine reached 13.6% alcohol and will be aged in 100% new oak. Yields were 32 hectoliters per hectare with the Grand Vin representing 73% of the harvest. Deep in color, licorice, chocolate, spice, black cherry, floral, plum and black raspberry liqueur scents create the perfume. Rich, dense and concentrated, this classic style of L’Evangile is tannic with powerful, chalky tannins and a long, stylish finish. 93-95 Pts

2011 Feytit Clinet – Located across the road from Chateau Clinet, this Pomerol has been on a roll since 2006. Blending 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc, the wine opens with chocolate, truffle, black raspberry and plum. Very supple, rich and plush, this Pomerol finishes with lush chocolate-covered plums. 92-93 Pts

2011 La Fleur de Gay – Deep in color with spicy floral, orange blossom and plum, the wine is silky, fresh, tannic and oaky. Hopefully with time, the wine will become better integrated with the oak. 89-91 Pts

2011 Fleur de Plince – Floral, cherry and spice, medium body and a soft, light, clean red berry finish. 87-89 Pts

2011 La Fleur Petrus – Chocolate, floral, black cherry, earth and spicy aromas pair well with soft, silky textures and suave, fresh, pure, spicy red berries. 93-94 Pts

2011 Le Gay  – 90% Merlot with the remainder coming from Cabernet Franc produced a deep-colored wine with intense floral, chocolate, truffle and black cherry liqueur notes. This full-bodied, rich, sweet and concentrated Pomerol is packed with ripe, opulent chocolate-covered cherries and minerality. 92-94 Pts

2011La Grave a Pomerol La Grave Trigant de Boisset – Earth, black cherry and cocoa scents with soft textures and forward style. This wine ends with short, round red cherry. 88-89 Pts

2011 Hosanna Deep in color, chocolate, floral, black raspberry, cherry, oak and plum scents are easy to find.  Plush, round textures with layers of silky, velvety plum and cherry is made better by the wines freshness and length that feel great on the palate. 93-95 Pts

2011 Lafleur –The wine was produced from a blend of 53% Cabernet Franc and 47% Merlot. Violets, truffle, cherry, forest, earth and spicy aromas couple with concentrated, sensuous layers of ripe, fresh and pure clean plum, cherry and blackberry. On the palate, the wine moves between red to dark berries while building and expanding in depth and intensity. 96-98 Pts

2011 Pensees de Lafleur is produced from a blend of 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. This wine with truffle, black raspberry, jam and earth offers fresh, sweet black cherry and opulent textures. 90-91 Pts

2011 Lafleur-Gazin – Earthy black cherry with soft textures, medium body and a sweet, round cherry-filled finish. 87-89 Pts

2011 Latour a’ Pomerol – Ruby in color with floral, earth and black raspberry aromas, the wine is soft and round, medium body in weight and ends with polished, fresh black raspberries and a hint of chocolate. 90-92 Pts

2011 Montviel From 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Franc, the wine offers floral and black cherry aromatics.  In the mouth, there is a sensation of ripe, sweet and round black cherries with cocoa. 89-91 Pts

2011 Le Moulin – Deep in color with coffee, vanilla and black plum, supple textures and a plush black plum and coffee bean finish are found in this wine. 90-92 Pts

2011 Nenin – 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc at 13.7% alcohol, the wine will be aged in 25% new oak. Truffle, floral and black raspberry perfume notes with a masculine fresh, ripe black cherry and cocoa finish. This Pomerol requires time for the tannins to soften. 90-91 Pts

2011 Petit Village Utilizing 72% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine will be aged in 65% new oak. Consulted by Stephane Derenoncourt, the wine is packed with floral, earth and cherry blossom scents. On the palate, the wine is supple, fresh and sensuous with silky textures. 90-92 Pts

2011 Petrus From 100% Merlot, the wine reached 13.5% alcohol. Floral, boysenberry, peppermint, truffle, cocoa, coffee, spice and kirsch. Soft, pure red cherry with refined tannins and a plush, silky, long finish. Lacking the depth and concentration found in 2009 or 2010, there is ample acidity, structure, freshness, balance, length and a strong sense of purity. 95-96 Pts

2011 Le Pin – Boysenberry, chocolate, earth and plum scents open to a fresh, spicy, supple-textured, flashy style of Pomerol ending with a silky, opulent red and black plum finish. 94-95 Pts

2011 Plince Light ruby in color, medium bodied with a soft, spicy cherry-dominated personality. 87-89 Pts

2011 La Pointe – Truffle, chocolate, plum and forest scents, soft textures, medium body and a fresh, bright black raspberry finish. 88-90 Pts

This chateau gets a little better each year thanks to the efforts of Hubert de Bouard, who began consulting the property.

2011 Providence – Earth, black cherry liqueur, forest floor, wood and floral scents open to a fresh, round, supple, ripe Pomerol filled with plush textures, ripe red berries and a long fruit-filled finish. 92-93 Pts

2011 Rouget – Earth, bitter chocolate and black cherry with round, soft tannins, lush textures and a ripe, dark plum finish are found in this wine. 90-92 Pts

2011 Sacre Coeur, the small .6 hectare estate owned by Jean-Philippe Janoueix made its official debut last year in 2010.  Janoueix, focused on organic farming for this Pomerol wine making it from 100% Merlot.

2011 Trotanoy – Rich in hue, flower, truffle, chocolate and a myriad of plum scents introduce the wine. Concentrated with layers of sensuous, fresh, pure, spicy plum and cherry flavors, there is a beautiful, refined, opulent and velvety textural quality to this elegant, sexy Pomerol. 94-95 Pts

2011 Vieux Chateau Certan  Blending 70% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Franc and a drop of Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine reached 13.6% alcohol. At 37 hectoliters per hectare, the Grand Vin represents 70% of the harvest. With rich aromas of licorice, black plum jam, espresso, truffle, spice and incense, the wine is intense, fresh,  chocolaty, sensuous, powerful, long, silky and packed with sweet, ripe, pure and concentrated layers of plum, black cherry and spice. 94-96 Pts

2011 Vieux Maillet – Flowers, black raspberry and earthy notes with medium body and a bright, dry cherry finish. 87-89 Pts

2011 La Violette –From 100% old vine Merlot that averages close to fifty years of age, the wine sports deep color. With intense truffle, violet, plum liqueur, chocolate, oak and earthy aromas, the wine has the depth and structure to age and evolve. 93-95 Pts

2011 Vray Croix de Gay – Earth, chocolate and dark cherry with supple textures and good concentration on ripe, sweet black plums in the finish.  A step up from previous vintages. 89-92 Pts

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