In The Shadow of Grand Crus
2011 Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin
1er Cru Aux Combottes
Dujac's Combottes marks a place where the line between Grand and 1er Crus gets hazy. And things get really interesting.
This is a wine that defies Burgundy's neat categories. There's a "magic" to this bottle. In the past few weeks, I've had the '98 and '08 and both have been absolutely stunning.
Combottes is a wine that sells out every year. It's one of the wines that are on the radar of serious collectors, where it rubs elbows with Burgundy's big boys in their cellar. I expect 2011 to be especially tough: by all accounts, Dujac produced some of the vintage's best wines.
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The story of the 1er Cru Aux Combottes is, of course, all about location. Combottes is located in the southern part of Gevrey, on the border with Morey St. Denis, and is pretty much surrounded by Grand Crus. It exists in the shadows of Clos de la Roche, Latricieres-Chambertin and Charmes-Chambertin.
On Dujac's 2011 Combottes specifically, Burghound writes: "this is a wine of finesse yet it doesn't lack for character and depth."
And that's a great snapshot of Combottes' beating heart: it's intense with earth, mineral and finely interwoven Gevrey fruit. For all its minerality and power, Combottes manages to maintain a gorgeous silken elegance. There's some of the delicacy of Morey with some of the muscle of Gevrey - it's a really impressive combination.
Dujac is one of Burgundy's hallowed elites and in their hands a very well-situated 1er Cru becomes a blockbuster - a wine that transcends the 1er Cru category. Think of wines like Ramonet's Ruchottes, d'Angerville's Ducs, Fourrier's Clos St. Jacques and Drouhin's Clos des Mouches.
This is one of our favorite 1er Crus. It's the almost wild expression of earth and rock along with regal finesse that keeps us returning to the wine again and again. This is a special wine from a special place. It's deeply impressive in a way that you can never quite put your finger on.
I've always loved the way that Dujac's wines attack all five senses with a grace and sensuality. The 2011 Gevrey 1er Cru Aux Combettes has this in spades.
As I mentioned earlier, this is a wine that always sells out. We have a very small amount and it seems like word is out on just how successful Dujac was in 2011. Please give us your ideal order and we'll try our best.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits