TNs: '11 Bertheau les Amoureuses and Bonnes Mares

A vintage I have not loved but there are lovely wines to be had. Thought it would be fun to try these side by side.


[*]2011 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (7/27/2022)
Opened several hours ahead, then decanted as we drunk it over several hours to help it open.

Drunk alongside the '11 Bonnes Mares

A lifted, lovely, red fruited nose with flowers, a little loam, and then there were the green meanies. On the palate, it’s seemingly light to mid weighted, but intense, with “push you over with a feather” power. Graceful and filigree fine with a cashmere like softness on the palate with more rose, cherry fruit, and sadly distracting green notes. It’s lithe and playful, understated, fleeting, and graceful; and if it were not for the green meanies, this would have been fantastic. Still outstanding and then some, but it could have been marvelous. Drinking at peak for me. 92 (92 pts.)[/list]
Posted from CellarTracker

  • 2011 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Bonnes Mares - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru (7/27/2022)
    Drunk alongside the '11 les Amoureuses
    Opened earlier in the day, then drunk over a couple hours. No premeditated reason for the difference, just two people doing different preps.

It’s more savory, meatier, and structured than the les Amoreuses, with darker fruit and thankfully fewer green notes. It’s a dense and more powerful pinot, but not heavy. It has depth and a sense of gravitas. Power and grace. It’s beautifully balanced and expansive on the palate. More impressive and overtly powerful (in a relative term when speaking of Bertheau) if a little less nuanced and fleeting than the Amoureuses. No surprises with the two vineyards, and a great study in terroir. This was beautiful and an exceptional showing for the vintage. It had much less of the green meanies and that was the difference maker. Drinking youthfully well, but still years from it’s apogee IMO. Oddly though, and I don’t mean to take anything away from this outstanding and then some wine, drinking the Bonnes Mares bummed me out a bit, as I got me thinking how good the les Amoureuses would have been without the flaw. 94 (94 pts.)




All things being equal, I usually prefer les Amoureuses to Bonnes Mares, but the green meanies pushed the scale to favor the BM. An outstanding lesson in terroir nonetheless.

Thanks for reading.

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These wines are so nice now especially the Bonne Mares which I have been able to enjoy several times. I enjoyed the Amoureuses more than you but I am more tolerent to the slightly green notes. Terrific notes and many thanks.

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