The wine is expected in November 2023
Just like 2021 was no ordinary vintage in Burgundy, Louis Jadot is no ordinary Negociant! With close to 160 years of experience and owning more than 150 hectares of vineyards across Burgundy (70 Ha of which lie in the Côte d’Or), Chef de Cave Frederic Barnier has extraordinary control over his fruit source from top to bottom.
The 2021 Vintage
For Thierry Pillot in Chassagne-Montrachet, 2021 brings to mind the Burgundies of yesteryear, saying they are “the wines I’ve always dreamed of making.” For Bertrand Dugat, the vintage “was like a breath of fresh air; it woke me up and gave me renewed energy.” For Cécile Tremblay, 2021 is “a return, at last, to Pinot Noir.” As ever, Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier summed it up succinctly when he said, “These are the wines I want to drink.”But what, exactly, are these wines like? If your ideal for Burgundy is rich, sun-kissed and muscular, along the lines of what nature delivered in 2018, stop reading now; 2021 simply isn’t the vintage for you. But if you share the tastes of the producers quoted above—and a host of others—you may find much of interest in this vintage if you buy wisely.The 2021 reds are supple, fleshy and perfumed, at their best uniting the concentration of low yields and surprisingly good phenolic maturity with the vibrant, perfumed profiles of a cooler vintage. Their pHs are relatively high, so the wines are broad, open and charming. They’re unlikely to shut down. Among recent years, the outgoing, fragrant 2017s are the closest point of comparison; but a better analogy is with a cleaner, more concentrated version of the 2000 vintage. They may not last for a century, but if the best 2000s have aged gracefully for two decades, the 2021s, produced from lower yields of more carefully sorted fruit, should be able to develop in the cellar for at least as long.The 2021 whites are much more successful than those produced in Burgundy’s last vintage defined by frost, 2016. In 2016, first-generation grapes spared by the frost were often picked overripe, along with underripe second- and third-generation fruit; lending the wines exotic aromatics and a telltale sweet-and-sour quality on the palate. By contrast, the 2021s are classically proportioned, pure and fine-boned, albeit sometimes a little lean out of the gates. The best analogy is with a cleaner, purer version of the 2013 vintage, (a year sometimes marked by late-season thunderstorms that lent the wines exotic aromatics, something 2021 was spared). Like their red counterparts, the 2021 white wines are picking up texture and flesh with maturation on the lees, and they seem likely to show better from bottle than they did from barrel.William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
Burgundy has shifted in through a cycle dominated by negociants who purchased barrels of wine and bottled them under their own name to growers bottling under their own name, often without using the vineyard names, then adding all of the Cru and Lieux Dits names.
In that time the negociants shifted to taking greater involvement in vineyards, and owning vineyards.
The best has invested heavily in their owned vineyards, working with vineyard owners to raise the quality of their fruit, and evolving slowly to find the balance between time tested winemaking techniques and innovation through science.
Louis Jadot has been able to carefully navigate the changes in Burgundy, and smoothly transition custodianship from Jacques Lardière, a veteran of 42 vintages at Jadot, to Fréderic Barnier who has lead Jadot since 2012.
About Maison Louis Jadot
Maison Louis Jadot was established in 1859 by Louis Henri Denis Jadot and developed by succeeding generations. In 1985 their US distributor Rudi Kopf purchased the business while also purchasing Domaine Clair Daü (which brought with it Grand Crus of Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Bonnes Mares, Clos Vougeot and Corton Grèves).
Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot has long belonged to the Jadot family and includes the original Louis Jadot Monopole Beaune Premier Cru ‘Clos des Ursules’ vineyard, purchased in 1826, plus Corton Pougets and Corton Charlemagne. Pierre Henri-Gagey, current President succeeded his father André Gagey in 1992 and today his son Thibault is deeply involved in Louis Jadot. Domaine Gagey has been in their family for generations, and includes great vineyards in Clos Saint Denis and Echézeaux.
Domaine du Duc de Magenta is not strictly owned by Louis Jadot, but is on a very long term, exclusive contract for the Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Morgeot ‘Clos de la Chapelle’. In the 1990’s Louis Jadot invested in vineyards such as Côte de Nuits Villages Le Vaucrain and Beaujolais Chateau des Jacques Moulin-a-Vent and Morgon, and began working their own cooperage, Cadus, based in Ladoix.
Enjoy these fascinating podcast with Levi Dalton & Jacques Lardière who look after Jadot for 42 vintages and his successor Frederic Barnier. As Levi notes, you’ll definitely have to listen to the one with Jacques twice to even start to get your head around the discussion.
In the Vineyard
The Louis Jadot Domaine (comprised of 125 hectares over 28 communes, 298 parcels and 45 growers) is spread across three geographic centres, each working with its own team and its own tools, which minimises Louis Jadot’s carbon footprint across the broader Burgundian region.
In the Winery
From Frederic Barnier via Burghound
Technical director Frédéric Barnier, who is always an incredible wealth of information about each vintage, described 2021 as another one that “began with a relatively warm winter and a very clement February that was followed by a very warm end of March. This was the source of the real problem as the vines, and in particular the chardonnay, reacted predictably to the warmth with bud burst. When the frost arrived during the nights of the 6th, 7th and 8th of April, the results were equally predictable thanks to two key aspects. The first was the length of the frost over three nights and the second was the humidity thanks to a light snowstorm on the 7th. We tried protecting some parcels on the night of the 8th but frankly, we wasted our time as the damage was largely done at that point. I actually had cautious hopes that the pinot might have been mostly spared but that optimism turned out to be misplaced as well, even if the damage wasn’t as bad as it was for the chardonnay. April and May were cool and the vines were so traumatized by the frost that there was barely any apparent activity. It was also humid because even though there wasn’t much rain, there were frequent tiny storms. The vines that were the worst frosted had trouble defending themselves against the mildew and oidium followed by a lighter attack of botrytis at the end of the season.
We wound up picking between the 21st of September and the 3rd of October. We did our best to avoid second generation fruit but even seasoned pickers have trouble discerning the difference. In the end, we didn’t have too much of it in pinot but the chardonnay in some cases was almost exclusively second generation. Our average yield was a pitiful 12 hl/ha for the chardonnay and a scarcely better 17 hl/ha in pinot. Between the two Côtes, it was slightly better in the Côte de Nuits at about 20 hl/ha with between 15 and 16 hl/ha in the Côte de Beaune. There was some sorting necessary for the pinot though the chardonnay was largely quite clean. I suppose if we try to find the good in all of this, it’s just as well that yields were low because if not, the fruit never would have adequately ripened. In fact, the harvest reminded me of times gone by as September made the maturities as they were perfectly good. Not high but perfectly reasonable at between 12 and 13% potential alcohols for the pinot and slightly better for the chardonnay. The acidities were quite good in both colors as there was a lot of malic acid.
I didn’t really change anything in terms of the vinification for the reds though I did block a few of the malos in white. With respect to the élevage, perhaps the most difficult aspect of this vintage was managing our wood regimen as the quantities for most wines were so small that it was frankly hard to have enough but not too much, especially for the whites. I would observe that the quality of the wines in both colors was difficult to assess until the malos finished. In red, the style is soft and accessible with excellent terroir transparency. They’re juicy yet delicate and I find the quality to be relatively consistent between the two Côtes. The whites are somewhat austere and I suspect that they may well shut down once they’re bottled. They remind somewhat of the 2012s in the sense that they’re dense but vibrant. I would add that despite the cool growing season, the pHs are not especially low, which is to say between 3.65 to 3.75 for the reds, which is pretty much where the 2020s came in. As such, it’s hard to argue that 2021 produced cool and underripe reds.
The whites, while lower, came in between 3.2 to 3.25, which is perfectly good as well and definitely not particularly low and only slightly lower than 2020, which averaged around 3.3. Overall, 2021 has turned out better than I ever imagined that it would, at least with respect to wine quality. The quantities though are another story though better to have a little of something excellent than a lot of something mediocre!” I would agree with Barnier’s assessment as there are very good to excellent wines sprinkled throughout the range. Lastly, Barnier noted that some wines were not made as the quantities were simply too small to produce them.
Red Winemaking at Louis Jadot
Louis Jadot’s wineries are the envy of any serious winemaker. Blending simplicity of tried and tested techniques & equipment with the possibilities science and technology offer.
2021 Côte d’Or vintage report by Frederic Barnier
Water reserves at the end of 2020 were excellent, and winter and early spring oscillated between cold snaps and warm temperatures. On April 5th a brutal change slowed growth, and frosts between the 6th and 9th caused significant damage in particular to chardonnay, but also pinot noir. Cool to cold conditions continued to June, accompanied in May by heavy rains. Flowering occurred under good conditions and was largely heterogeneous, but humid conditions in July caused significant disease pressure. August was drier, and as per the old adage, September saved the vintage with 3 clear weeks allowing the grapes to reach full maturity.
Harvest began on September 17th through until early October. Looking back at the data, 2021 wasn’t overly humid, but the ongoing changeable conditions and of course the frost impacted yields, with rigorous selection required. Thanks to the low yields, the whites have good sugar and high acidity transformed beautifully during the malo-lactic fermentation, and show pure aromatics, notably floral in character. The reds are vivid in colour, with very fruity aromas and delicate, fine-grained tannins which are already well-integrated. Maturation should lend these wines body and concentration.
The Whites
The poor flowering and fruit set coupled with the hot, dry conditions in June & July resulted in yields about 50% down. There is no lack of concentration on the whites, and the balance between sugar levels and acidity is very good thanks to exemplary pH levels. The management of the malolactic fermentation was critical, average around 50% blocked to retain natural acidity. The wines have great energy and transparency, with good mid-palate weight.
The Reds
For the reds, ripeness levels were ideal, and yields a little higher than for the reds. Any concerns that the skins of the red grapes wouldn’t worry were needless. To the contrary, what we’ve seen is an astonishing level of finesse and the wines from this vintage are already extremely tasty. The colours are rich and the fruit reassuringly fresh.
About the Wines
2021 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Folatières Domaine Louis Jadot
The Folatières climate lies near the summit of this slope, above Clos de la Garenne roughly midway between Meursault and Montrachet.
The clay and chalk soil, which is very stony, drains well and warms through easily.
This wine is vinified and then aged in wooden barrels for 12-15 months before bottling.
Firm reduction dominates the underlying fruit at present. Otherwise, the round, suave and very seductively textured medium weight flavors coat the palate with sappy dry extract while the youthfully austere and balanced finish immediately tightens up to suggest that this too is going to need a decade plus to realize its full potential. 2031+
From a site that was ravaged by frost, the 2021 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot) reveals aromas of pear, orange zest and freshly baked bread, followed by a medium-bodied, taut and tangy palate that's firm and structured.
2021 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes Domaine Louis Jadot
There is a touch of lemon zest on the aromas of mostly apple, petrol and white floral wisps. There is once again outstanding density to the more refined if less mineral-driven medium-bodied flavors that possess a succulent mid-palate that contrasts somewhat with the moderately austere but not especially dry finale that exhibits sneaky good length. This promising if mildly edgy effort should repay mid to even longer-term keeping. Drink 2029+
The 2021 Meursault 1er Cru Charmes (Domaine Louis
Jadot) reveals aromas of freshly baked bread, citrus oil, white flowers and mint. Medium to full-bodied, ample
and satiny, with racy acids and an open-knit profile, it concludes with a moderately persistent finish.
2021 Meursault Maison Louis Jadot
(many different lieux-dits are included though the two largest are Narvaux and Tillets). Firm reduction renders the nose impossible to assess though there is both good freshness and verve to the rich and generously proportioned yet still reasonably precise flavors that terminate in a lemony and bone-dry finish that is somewhat lean and distinctly short. I don’t know whether I caught this brooding effort when it just wasn’t showing well but it’s pretty awkward today. Drink 2027+
The 2021 Meursault Village (Maison Louis Jadot) reveals notes of peach, pear, beeswax, nutmeg and smoke, followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and textural palate underpinned by lively acids and concluding with a nicely defined finish. One of Jadot's larger cuvées, this has
turned out nicely.
2021 Beaune 1er Cru Greves Les Clos Blanc Domaine Gagey
The 2021 Beaune 1er Cru Grèves Le Clos Blanc (Domaine Gagey) opens in the glass with aromas of pear, freshly baked bread, honeycomb and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's combines texture and tension to compelling effect.
THE REDS
2021 Louis Jadot Musigny Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot
There is a whiff of green tea character on the even spicier aromas of red and dark cherry, anise and hoisin nuances. The suave and gorgeously textured broad-shouldered yet wonderfully refined flavors also exude plenty of minerality while coating the palate on the powerful, serious and overtly austere finish that goes on and goes. This beauty of a Musigny is markedly compact and clearly constructed to repay extended keeping. Drink 2036+
There are 350 liters of the 2021 Musigny Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot), a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine evocative of raspberries and plums mingled with orange rind, exotic spices and rose petals. Built around powdery tannins and lively acids, it concludes with a saline, perfumed finish.
2021 Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot
The Bonnes Mares vineyard lies at the edge of Chambolle Musigny and which one part spill into Morey Saint Denis.
The calcium content of the soil which gives the wines of Chambolle Musigny their great delicacy, is less pronounced, and compared to le Musigny, Bonnes Mares is more robust, yet still extremely elegant.
(100% from the Chambolle side that combines about one-third terres rouges and the remainder from terres blanches). Ample wood and herbal tea notes are present on the equally cool aromas of cherry, raspberry and freshly turned earth. The moderately dense larger-bodied flavors are rich and enveloping while displaying fine length on the palate coating, youthfully austere and bitter pit fruit-inflected finale. This will need to add much more depth as it’s a bit one-dimensional today and as such, my projected range is wider than usual. Drink 2033+
Aromas of red cherries, raspberries, raw cocoa, spices, rose petals and licorice preface the 2021 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot), a medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless wine that's deep, complex and perfumed. It's another one of the high points of
the portfolio
2021 Louis Jadot Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot
A deft application of wood easily allows the much spicier aromas of red and dark berries, smoked game and florest floor to be appreciated. The rich yet sleek and utterly delicious bigger-bodied and more powerful flavors exude a more sublte minerality on the balanced and impressively persistent finale. This is classier as well as markedly more complex than the Chapelle. 2033+
Offering up aromas of rich cherries, berries and plums mingled with spices and orange zest, and framed by toasty new oak, the 2021 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a seamless, enveloping profile and melting structuring tannins.
2021 Louis Jadot Chambertin Grand Cru Maison Louis Jadot
The origin of Chambertin comes from one of the owners whose name was Bertin and who had the idea to plant vineyards close to the climat used by monks. Chambertin comes from Champ de Bertin.
The Chambertin vineyard is situated on a chalky soil in the depth and clayey at the surface, which makes the wine both powerful and round.
A top note of herbal tea is present on the cooler and airier if not necessarily spicier or more elegant aromas of essence of wild red berries. The mouthfeel of the almost painfully intense medium weight plus flavors is also quite sleek thanks to the dense but fine-grained tannins that flash even more minerality on the more austere finale that displays excellent depth and persistence. As befits a classic Chambertin, this is a wine to buy and forget you own it for at least a decade. 2033+
Offering up aromas of rich cherries, berries and plums mingled with spices and orange zest, and framed by toasty new oak, the 2021 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is full-bodied, layered and multidimensional, with a seamless, enveloping profile and melting structuring tannins
2021 Louis Jadot Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot
The « Chappelle Chambertin » vineyard is situated on the east facing slope between Latricières Chambertin Grand Cru and Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru.
(from En Gémeaux: these are the oldest vines in the Jadot portfolio of owned vineyards) Here too moderate wood frames the pretty essence of red cherries, earth, crushed fennel and clove. Much like the Clos St. Jacques, there is unusually good richness to the vibrant medium-bodied and sappy flavors that exude a bracing minerality on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finish. This is lovely though it presently lacks top flight depth so I would strongly advise allowing this at least some bottle aging to address that need. 2033+
The 2021 Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is one of the highlights of the range this year. Unfurling in the glass with aromas of cherries, raspberries, pomegranate, spices, rose petals and orange zest, it's full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with a layered, complete profile. It derives from a parcel planted in 1920–1921, where most of the old vines remain intact.
2021 Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Maison Louis Jadot
2021 Louis Jadot Echezeaux Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot
(from Les Rouges du Bas that is worked by horse because it is so steep; occasionally other Echézeaux is added from purchases but in 2021 this is a Domaine wine). This is even spicier with its cool and pure aromas of violet, lilac, rose petal, Asian-style tea and mix of red and dark
berries. The suave and seductively textured flavors are not quite as dense but they are finer on the mid-palate yet the robust and powerful finish is consistent with what one typically expects from examples of Echézeaux from Les Rouges du Bas. Patience again strongly advised. 2033+
Bursting with aromas of sweet cherries, red berries and plums mingled with sweet spices, orange zest and rose petals, the 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) is medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with a seamless, complete profile, capturing all the
charm of the vintage.
2021 Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot
An unusually perfumed nose reflects notes of red currant, earth, and a vague hint of exotic spice. In the same vein as the nose, there is an unusually suave texture to the round and delicious medium-bodied flavors that brim with sappy dry extract that helps to buffer the compact, firm and sneaky long finish. This possesses fine development potential. 2033+
The 2021 Clos Vougeot Grand Cru (Domaine Louis Jadot) has turned out very well, exhibiting aromas of sweet cherries, berries, petals and spices, framed by toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, it's deep and muscular, with fine balance and a penetrating finish. This cuvée is now harvested in two picks, one week or so apart, instead of all in the same day.
2021 Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin Chambertin Maison Louis Jadot
A blend of Cazetiers, Combe Aux Moines and Poissenots, Jadot's one-off 2021 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru wafts from the glass with aromas of sweet red berries, licorice, spices and loamy soil. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, with good concentration, powdery tannins and a seamless, complete profile, it has turned out nicely.
2021 Louis Jadot Côte de Nuits Villages Les Vaucrain Domaine Louis Jadot
Moderately generous wood and menthol stops short of dominating the sauvage, earth, plus and wild currant scents though with that said, the oak treatment isn’t subtle. There is very good volume to the caressing but punchy flavors that conclude in a bitter pit fruit and youthfully austere finale. 2027+
Aromas of cherries, raspberries and licorice introduce the 2021 Côte de Nuits-Villages Le Vaucrain (Domaine Louis Jadot), a medium-bodied, lively and giving wine that's an over-performer in its modest appellation.
2021 Louis Jadot Corton Greves Grand Cru Domaine Louis Jadot
2021 Louis Jadot Savigny Lès Beaune 1er Cru Les Dominodes Domaine Louis Jadot
This is also sufficiently toasty to merit pointing out but not so much so as to fight with the spiced plum, violet and freshly turned earth scents. The delicious medium weight flavors possess a bit more volume though it would be fair to describe them as only moderately concentrated, wrapped in a sneaky long and youthfully austere finish. This is sufficiently structured to reward up to a decade of keeping, which should also help to add depth. 2029+
The 2021 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru La Dominode (Domaine Louis Jadot) has turned out nicely, exhibiting aromas of raspberries, cherries, sweet spices and orange rind. Medium to full-bodied, lively and muscular, with good depth at the core and powdery structuring tannins, it will age with grace.
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