2012 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru "Célébration - 153rd Anniversary Cuvee"

Jadot’s 153rd Anniversary bottling is a very intriguing bottle of wine. On a primary level it’s a delicious, accessible, polished and expertly crafted bottle of Pinot Noir. If that’s enough to convince you this is the bottle for you read no further! However, I think it’s much more than just that. What it really represents is a true homage to Jadot’s roots (both literally and metaphorically). This bottling is a celebration of Jadot’s home – the village of Beaune. The wine includes fruit from the very first vineyard the Jadot family purchased in 1829 – Clos Des Ursules. It also includes parcels of fruit from the other 18 Premier Cru sites that Jadot works with in this commune. The precisely parcellated, demarcated, hierarchical vineyard classification of Burgundy has become the dominant winemaking model around the globe. This philosophy, grounded in the Cistercian’s keen eye (and palate) for distinct terroirs, has formed the basis for codification of specific geographical origins thought the wine world. Beyond the legal codifications, the “single vineyard” or “single block” wine has become the most sought after concept in almost every market across the globe. Almost every winery you can think of starts their offering with a broader blend of fruit sources for their most commercial bottling, then regionally specific, then single vineyard…then the ultra premium release…the single block. What Jadot have done with this release is flip the whole paradigm on its head…instead of celebrating their 153rd year by selecting one vineyard to shine above all others they chose to celebrate the diversity of terroirs within their home town. They selected barrels from different sites that could be blended together to create a final wine that is greater than the sum of its parts. This wine encapsulates the varied limestone, marls and clay soils…the steep and flat aspects, an untold number of Pinot Noir clones and vines of varying age. Its beauty is not in its specificity but in its broad panoramic view of this special place.

There is no place in the world that values specificity of site like Burgundy, and it is rare to see a blend of 1er Cru sites like this. Jadot has created a cuvee that is greater than the some of its parts for their 153rd anniversary, and this is without a doubt the best value in fine red wine for your cellar that we have at K&L today. If you love finesse, delicacy and balance in your Pinot Noir, this wine will give you great pleasure right now. If you are willing to wait, this wine will doubtless gain power, breadth and texture over the next couple of decades and turn into a real "blood making" Beaune. I am putting buying a case for myself, I recommend that you do too.