Jadot

Tasting Notes:
JadotÕs 2005 Chapelle-Chambertin smells brightly of ripe cherry, red licorice and smoked meat. Bitter-sweet cherry and smoky pungency on the palate are augmented by savory, meaty, salty, and bitter cherry pit. This positively blazes a path in its finish, with almost glaring brightness, mouth-watering salinity and invigorating hints of bitterness. There is nothing cuddly about the texture of this obviously age worthy beauty, however, its fine tannins are thoroughly covered by fruit and in no way weigh-down its dynamic personality. Jacques Lardiere has once again presided over a collection for the most part not intended to flatter in its youth, but rather to achieve an eventual balance of fruit acidity with (in this instance frequently quite prominent) tannin. Prolonged post-fermentative extraction promoted a formidably-structured group of wines, which Lardiere expressed no hurry about bottling. Certain of these Ñ particularly from the Cote de Beaune Ñ displayed a slightly drying finishing astringency or simply an austere lack of charm to match their concentration, traits Lardiere suggested might be traceable to drought stress in those sites. A brief July rain that reached the Cote de Nuits but not the Cote de Beaune was critical, he asserts, and all of JadotÕs vines in the northern Cote were picked before the harvest in the south commenced. Wine Advocate # 171 Jun 2007
Parker Points: 93
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
Poached pear and talcum powder aromas can be discerned in the nose of the 2002 Puligny-Montrachet Clos de La Garenne Duc de Magenta. This gorgeous, medium to full-bodied wine expands on the palate, revealing a deep, intense concentration. It is powerful, crammed with poached pears, spices, and ginger. This fleshy, well-balanced, dense, exceptionally ripe wine possesses an impressively long finish filled with creamy candied apples. Wine Advocate # 151 Feb 2004
Parker Points: 92-95
Drinking Period: 2007-2016

Tasting Notes:
The oak-scented, medium to dark ruby-colored 1999 Musigny (domaine) offers a medium-bodied, tangy character. This floral, feminine, well-made, elegant wine displays sweet red cherry and raspberry flavors in its long, satin-textured character. It lacks the depth and power of Jadot's finest Musignys, yet is an outstanding, highly detailed, and delicious wine. Drink it between 2004 and 2012. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 90-92
Drinking Period: 2004-2012

Tasting Notes:
The 1999 Chapelle-Chambertin (domaine) is medium to dark ruby-colored and has an intense, penetrating, currant and blackberry-scented nose. Baked cherries, plums, spices, and hints of coffee can be found in this medium to full-bodied, chewy wine. It is rich, pure, powerful, and has great length. Drink this dense, concentrated offering between 2005 and 2014. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 92-95
Drinking Period: 2005-2014

Tasting Notes:
On January 17, 1997, a Belgian wine merchant held a comprehensive tasting of virtually every Montrachet at the Crillon Hotel in Paris. In addition to myself, Pierre Rovani was the only other American in attendance. The group was evenly split between members of the Belgian/French wine trade and private consumers. I was permitted to insert several top California Chardonnays in the tasting as "ringers." I provided the Peter Michael Chardonnay Pointe Rouge and the 1992 Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay. The tasting was impeccably organized, with the wines served blind in multiple flights. The results, although not unbelievable to me, were shocking to the group of serious Belgian and French wine tasters. Two of the French tasters were well-known winemakers. One of them who asked to remain anonymous proclaimed that in large part, the group of Montrachets was "a crime against France's patrimony." The group overwhelmingly rated the Peter Michael Chardonnay Pointe Rouge the top wine. Several tasters recognized that it was a California wine, but they still felt it was by far the most compelling, complex, and complete wine of the tasting. Second place went to another "ringer," the Domaine Valette Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos de Monsieur Noly Vieilles Vignes, third place was awarded to the Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne another ringer, and fourth place went to yet another "ringer," the 1992 Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay. Of the Montrachets, three producers produced wines that certainly merited outstanding ratings. The fifth place wine was the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet; sixth place went to Domaine Lafon's Montrachet; and seventh place was the Domaine Ramonet Montrachet. My numerical ratings generally mirrored the group's, with the Peter Michael Pointe Rouge receiving 97 points, Domaine Valette Pouilly-Fuisse Clos de Monsieur Noly Vieilles Vignes, 95; Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne, 96+; Mount Eden 1992 Chardonnay Estate, 94; DRC Montrachet, 93; Domaine Lafon Montrachet, 91+; Domaine Ramonet Montrachet, 90+; and most of the other Montrachets in the mid to upper-eighties, except for the appalling Montrachets from Delagrange-Bachelet and Rene Fleurot. A tropical fruit-scented, disjointed the acidity stuck out as it does in many New World Chardonnays Robert Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de la Guiche was another underachiever. Only four of the Montrachets possessed the depth and richness or the group's top three wines. Perhaps the most remarkable conclusion of this tasting was that none of the Montrachets displayed the complexity of the group's favorite three wines. And let's not hear any whining about these Montrachets needing 5-10, perhaps 15 years of cellaring. That may be the case in vintages such as 1986 or 1995, but the Montrachets are extremely forward, low acid wines except those that appeared to have had far too much acidity added. Too many of them were diluted, disjointed, flabby, and flat compared to the non-Montrachet wines of this tasting. Much is being made in European wine writing circles about American versus European tastes, another phony non-issue by writers who would better serve their readership by doing more tasting than pontificating. While no single tasting can be considered definitive, this particular tasting did prove that a group of French and Belgian tasters exhibited a preference for California Chardonnays. C'est la vie. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 88
Drinking Period:  -

Tasting Notes:
As I reported last year, this house has made extraordinary 1990 red burgundies. But before you rush out and spend all of your money on many of their superlative 1990s from the Cote de Nuits, do not forget that Jadot produced ten different Beaune premiers crus in 1990 that are, without question, the best Beaunes I have ever tasted. Most received outstanding ratings, but because of space limitations and my desire to report on Burgundy in two parts because of the comprehensiveness of my tastings, they will not be reviewed until issue 84. Shrewd consumers might want to take note that they will retail for prices 40-50% below those of the top grands crus from the Cote de Nuits. Jadot's commitment to higher and higher quality is evidenced by the fact that all of their 1990s, except for the generic Bourgogne, were put in the bottle without filtration. This is particularly admirable in view of the fact that most Burgundy negociants do at least a moderate filtration through either cellulose pads or the diatomaceous earth system (Kisselguhr). Some of the most prominent and successful firms, for example, Jean-Claude Boisset and Bouchard Pere et Fils, do multiple filtrations, including a sterile one prior to bottling. Jadot's refusal to compromise their wines merits accolades. Among the grand crus I thought Jadot's Griottes-Chambertin and Charmes-Chambertin were excellent, but not as concentrated and profound as others. The light to medium-bodied Griottes-Chambertin possesses a sweet cherry fruitiness, soft, round, generously endowed flavors, low acidity, and light tannins in the velvety finish. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. The top wines from Jadot are among the superstars of the vintage. To reiterate, you will read similarly ecstatic reviews for many of the premiers crus from the Cote de Beaune, as well as several of the grands crus in issue 84. Jadot produced wines of uncommon richness in 1990. Given their prices, they belong in any serious Burgundy collector's cellar. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 89
Drinking Period: 1992-2004

Tasting Notes:
As I reported last year, this house has made extraordinary 1990 red burgundies. But before you rush out and spend all of your money on many of their superlative 1990s from the Cote de Nuits, do not forget that Jadot produced ten different Beaune premiers crus in 1990 that are, without question, the best Beaunes I have ever tasted. Most received outstanding ratings, but because of space limitations and my desire to report on Burgundy in two parts because of the comprehensiveness of my tastings, they will not be reviewed until issue 84. Shrewd consumers might want to take note that they will retail for prices 40-50% below those of the top grands crus from the Cote de Nuits. Jadot's commitment to higher and higher quality is evidenced by the fact that all of their 1990s, except for the generic Bourgogne, were put in the bottle without filtration. This is particularly admirable in view of the fact that most Burgundy negociants do at least a moderate filtration through either cellulose pads or the diatomaceous earth system (Kisselguhr). Some of the most prominent and successful firms, for example, Jean-Claude Boisset and Bouchard Pere et Fils, do multiple filtrations, including a sterile one prior to bottling. Jadot's refusal to compromise their wines merits accolades. Among the grand crus I thought Jadot's Griottes-Chambertin and Charmes-Chambertin were excellent, but not as concentrated and profound as others. The light to medium-bodied Griottes-Chambertin possesses a sweet cherry fruitiness, soft, round, generously endowed flavors, low acidity, and light tannins in the velvety finish. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. The top wines from Jadot are among the superstars of the vintage. To reiterate, you will read similarly ecstatic reviews for many of the premiers crus from the Cote de Beaune, as well as several of the grands crus in issue 84. Jadot produced wines of uncommon richness in 1990. Given their prices, they belong in any serious Burgundy collector's cellar. Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Parker Points: 89
Drinking Period: 1992-2004