2011 Les Genoux

Retail
£45.00
Member
£36.00
Case
£220.00
Case (Member)
£176.00
Varieties
Grenache
Carignan
Grenache Blanc
Grenache Gris
Vintage
2011
Country
France
Region
Roussillon
Alcohol
15%
Bottle size
750 mL
Drinking Window
2013 - 2020

Community Rating

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Awards

Title
GOLD Medal
Year
2014
Event
Sommelier Wine Awards
Description

Our ultra-rare single vineyard wine, only made in the best years. Of the 2011, Jancis Robinson MW said she was 'seriously impressed', and 'I absolutely loved it!', and it was described by Joanna Simon as 'Utterly seductive'.

Eyes

Les Genoux is less intensely coloured than the regular cuveé, as it contains 10-15% white and pink grapes.

Nose

The nose is incredibly complex, combining layers of plump wild strawberry, plum and cherry with wafts of rosemary and fennel. There's also hints of slatey minerals and dark chocolate

Mouth

Initially soft, and incredibly lush, Les Genoux only reveals its power slowly

Body

full

Winemaking Notes

The source of the fruit for our 'Les Genoux' cuveé are the wonderful 90 year-old vines in our ancient Coume de Roy vineyard.
All the grapes are picked by hand, and any selection needed to eliminate less than perfect grapes is done in the vineyard.
The grapes are de-stalked, lightly crushed, and fermented in up-ended demi-muids (500 L barrels) with the ends taken out, and plunge gently by hand, twice or three times a day.
Pressing with a small basket press.
Maturation in a mixture of new, 1 year old and 2 year old Demi-muids for 14 months, before being bottled with no fining or filtration, and sealed with melted beeswax.

Growing Conditions

One of those rare years that delivered both exceptional quality and above-average quantity. The wines have been fruit-forward from the moment the grapes were picked at full ripeness, just before the rain which washed out the last week of vintage for some growers.

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Comments

Barry Francis

absolutely glorious, so much so complex, yum yum, wow so good, could there ever be too much in a wine?.

Tom Alcott

A fantastic wine! Our only complaint - there was not enough

Let us know what you think

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Reviews

Jancis Robinson MW
www.jancisrobinson.com - Professional
http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a201310171.html

October 17, 2013 23:00

“When I tasted Domaine of the Bee, Les Genoux 2011 IGP Côtes Catalanes first I absolutely loved it. It is, apparently, 15% alcohol but you would never know it. I wrote, ‘Headily perfumed and more transparent somehow than the regular bottling. In fact you could easily gobble this up immediately. Really very fine. Lifted like a fine red burgundy. Lovely fine texture. Sweet but not sickly. It does rather remind me of that vat of Clos des Papes with the super-high alcohol but no trace of it on the palate. Feels very nourishing. But fresh. The tannins are all but imperceptible. Well done, Brits!’ I gave it 17.5 and suggested that it could be enjoyed over the next three or four years.”

17.5

Joanna Simon
www.joannasimon.com - Professional
http://joannasimon-wineandfood.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/the-bees-knees.html

March 6, 2014 0:00

Joanna chose this as one of her ‘Wines of the Year 2013’
"A field blend of old-vine Grenache Noir, Carignan and Grenache. Perfumed, sweet, supple, majestic, delightfully precise and fresh (despite 15% alcohol). Utterly seductive."

Olly Smith
Twitter - Professional
@jollyolly

April 22, 2014 11:00

@TheBeesKneesUK Cor! Delving into the depths of Les Genoux 2011 is a romp with fragrant titans. Gorgeous fruit, hats off.

Olly Smith
Twitter - Professional
@jollyolly

April 22, 2014 11:00

@Just1nHS Top work on Les Genoux 2011, a dose of sheer ‘phwoar’.

Alex Hunt MW
www.jancisrobinson.com - Professional
http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/winemaking-comes-back-down-to-earth

August 3, 2014 23:00

"…..soaringly evocative, nuanced and wild. It had an ethereal quality despite its 15% alcohol, and I could drink more of it than would be good for me. The secret? A particularly good vineyard, planted over 90 years ago".

Sommelier Wine Awards - Professional
http://www.sommelierwineawards.com/winners-2014

May 1, 2014 11:00

Earthy and ambitious, this entranced the judges. ‘Elegant, violet perfume with blackcurrant leaves leading to well-rounded fruit on the palate and a lovely fresh finish,’ said Claire Love of Loves Restaurant. ‘A sweet nose of oak and cherry. Very silky and smooth,’ noted Alimentum’s Maxwell Allwood, while team leader Peter McCombie MW said: ‘This opens up remarkably in the glass. A keeper.’

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