A hundred and fifty years of wine making is what Jadot is celebrating in 2009, and it would be great for them if this year provided them with an outstanding anniversary vintage. The thing is, those wines won’t be available until at least 2011, so the wines being released in this special year will be the 2007 vintage. I’ve already gone through their whites, which, whilst not being the best wines they have ever produced, are incredibly drinkable young, and very tasty.So onto the reds. The Moulin a Vent Clos de Rochegres, Chateau des Jacques is not a good start. Burnt rubber on the nose, bubblegum stewed raspberries and confected strawberries put you off initially. The palate is nice and soft, but then more of the rubber and slightly burnt fruit syrup comes through and it really isn’t pleasant. Not a good wine, which is a shame because normally I like this wine, and for £20 per bottle, this is a serious pass. 6/10
Another dissapointment is the Cote de Nuits Villages Le Vaucrain, Domaine Louis Jadot. Pig slurry on the nose, then some spice and clove rock coming though. The palate though is thin, some nice strawberry and raspberry flavours, but a lack of backbone and a bit hot on the finish. Not a bad wine but a poor effort. At £16 it is pricy, with better wines in and outside of the Jadot portfolio. 7/10
Things started getting good with Savigny les Beaune La Dominade, Domaine Louis Jadot. Wild raspberries galore, some menthol notes, and a lovely spine of vegetal aromas. Add in a palate of green pepper, stunning balance, despite being a bit weighty, and a long, spicy finish, this is exceptional for just under £20. A cracker. 8.5/10
Pernand Vergelesses Clos de la Croix de Pierre, Domaine Louis Jadot was full of slightly overcooked Brussels Sprouts on the nose, very vegetal and quite sweaty. The palate is full on, lots of earth, cooked raspberries and a wood element. Cinnamon and liquorice on the finish, but just a bit too much alcohol stops this being a good, but chunky, wine. 7.5/10 and £17.
A showy wine came next, the Beaune Boucherottes, Domaine Louis Jadot. Chocolate, lots of cherry and a hint of oriental spice on the nose. A lovely palate, full bodied (for a Pinot Noir) wth nutmeg, dusty cocoa and cherry stone flavours mingling with bitter chocolate. A big wine, and very nice. 8.5/10 and at £22 priced about right.
The Pommard Clos de la Commaraine, Domaine du Chateau de la Commaraine is a bit much however at £27. Think of this as Diana Dors – up front it is big and buxom and it is big and chunky at the other end too, but in the middle a bit thin that makes the whole look a touch out of balance. Juicy berries up front, nice spiced tea aromas too. The middle is thin, still sexy but is just too light, and then the finish rounds up nicely, juicy, very attractive and with a long sweet cherry flavour. 7.5/10 and £22.
Doubling the price gets you Nuits St Georges Les Boudots, Domaine Gagey. Spiced cake, dried cherry and cloves are all over the nose, coated in a little chocolate. The palate is nice, raspberries, pepper and bundles of cinnamon. A twiggy, cocoa and pepper finish. Very nice and about worth the money. 8/10
At £41, the Chambolle Musigny Les Fuees, Domaine Louis Jadot is a tough sell. Pretty closed, some raspberry aroma but nothing else. The palate is nice, has the high alcohol integrated well, cherry stone flavours and some fresh raspberry in there too. A simple wine, which is not a bad thing, but I think this shows the weakness in the vintage a lot more than a weakness in Jadot. It is nice, and it’s biggest competition comes from itself, just from the 2005 vintage which you can get for around a tenner more. 7.5/10
Onto the Gevrey Chambertin Lavaux St Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot and it is great. Warm, spiced fruit cake, with delightful raspberry freshness coming through. There is a wallop of alcohol, but it is enveloped with dark berries, cocoa powder and a little paprika. A clean finish, long with some cherry flavours and raspberry leaves. Very balanced, very good and a great price at £43. 8.5/10
The best red of those tasted was the Clos Vougeot, Domaine Louis Jadot. Pretty aromas, very floral with a fresh berry and dried fruit aroma. There is a raspberry element on the nose, leading onto a cinnamon, nutmeg and meaty aroma. The palate is gorgeous, lots of dusty fruit, some punchy fruit that is calmed down by Dundee Cake and a savoury element. Brilliant and costing only £73. 9/10
I’ve always liked Bonnes Mares, Domaine Louis Jadot, and this vintage is no exception. Polished wood and berry juice, a wallop of pepper and a few handfuls of earth thrown in on the nose. The palate is full bodied, raspberries and mulberry on the palate with some liquorice and aniseed. The finish is long and very clean. Very good. £130+ and 9/10
Finally was the Griotte Chambertin. From the smallest Grand Cru in Gevrey Chambertin, this is a pretty nose, with a lot of rich fruit but also a lot of jam aromas. Cocoa and milk chocolate on the palate with a very noticeable hot spice flavour and wild berries, blueberry and bramble. A nice, approachable style of wine, and very drinkable. 8.5/10 and £92.
The lower priced wines are, on the whole, a bit poor when you compare them to Jadot’s past few vintages. Now this is not unexpected, but the prices for 2007 are matching those from the past three or four vintages and therefore these new wines are not really worth the money.
The better wines are are well made and these shouldn’t disappoint you, with the only wine I’d avoid being the Moulin a Vent. They are good wines for the next few years, whilst you wait for your ’05s to come on song!
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