2011 Ardhuy, Côte de Beaune Villages Les Combottes
Nice deep colour, with a young purple-tinge. The nose has a bit of cola-spritz (CO₂) and a trace of reduction too – I chose to shake the bottle to release the gas. If anything the reduction gets a little worse in the original glass, but after about 20 minutes it is fading. The nose slowly transforms from a, deep-register, macerating black-skinned cherry to a brighter, redder berry – this black to red seems a common transition when reduction is in play – but the reduction is history after about 40 minutes when there’s even a violet floral element too. The acidity is borderline bright but it’s rather exacerbated by the crunchy red fruit and a faint ‘is it? isn’t it?’ ripeness of astringent tannin – certainly the mid-palate has verve and dimension though. The red-currant infused finish is a fine one for the label. Don’t forget to shake or decant and enjoy this over the next 12-18 months as the acidity might stick out more if you wait longer.
Rebuy – Yes