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The wines of Louis Jadot, Burgundy

Among the leading negociant firms in Burgundy, Jadot currently occupies pole position. As well as buying in grapes, they own some 50 ha of Pinot Noir vineyards, 20 ha of Chardonnay and also the large 27 ha Château des Jacques estate in Beaujolais. This tasting included 10 relatively inexpensive wines, and this represents just a snapshot of their output. From this small sample it's apparent that Jadot are pretty consistent, producing appealing wines that have the benefit of wide distribution. The wines seem to be made in a clean, modern style. I was especially impressed with the two Moulin à Vents from Château des Jacques, which were tasty, full-flavoured wines. If there's any criticism, it is that the prices are a bit on the steep side. The Pouilly Fuissé, for example, retails at £13 (Tesco stocks this, among others). It's a nice enough wine, but I can think of plenty of ways of having more wine fun for £13 than buying a bottle of this. Burgundy isn't cheap, admittedly, but these prices are putting Jadot head-to-head with some of the smaller growers, whose wines may be less 'safe' and perhaps more interesting.

Chablis 1998
Nice nutty nose with some honeyed notes. A rich, full flavoured style with some sweet butterscotch notes. Very good.

Pouilly Fuissé 1998
Lean, lemony/appley nose with some mineral notes. Palate is quite rich and full, with ripe fruit. Very good

Saint Véran 1999
Bright lemony nose leads to a full flavoured, citrussy palate. Clean and full, this is a wine made in an approachable modern style. Very good

Clos de Loyse 1999 Bourgogne
(A Beaujolais Blanc) Lots of toasty new oak on the nose; enticing and rich. Lovely rich nutty palate: almost new world in style. Oaky but good. Very good+

Mâcon-Lugny 1999
Pronounced lemony nose with a herby edge. Crisp and distinctive, with a full flavoured palate. Very good

Puligny Montrachet 1999
Restrained nose is quite classy, with some nutty, toasty notes. Rich, full flavoured palate shows good balance and well judged oak. Very good+

Beaujolais Villages 2000
Beautifully forward raspberry and bubblegum nose. Rich, vibrant palate with some spice and a bright character. Just what you want from inexpensive Beaujolais. Very good.

Mâcon 1998
Reds from the Mâcon are relatively rare. The attractive herby nose shows gamey strawberry fruit and caramel. There are ripe red fruits and caramel notes on the palate. Good/very good

Château des Jacques 1999 Moulin à Vent
This cru Beaujolais is quite a classy effort. Deep purple colour, showing rich ripe fruit on the nose. The palate is dominated by pungent red berry fruits. It's a big, savoury rendition of Gamay. Very good+

Château des Jacques Clos du Grand Carquelin 1998, Moulin à Vent
A deep purple colour, there's a nice pungency to the richly fruited nose. The palate is classy, rich and spicy, with firm tannins and a lovely savoury character. Another 'big' Gamay. Very good/excellent

Beaune 1997
Beginning to show some development, this wine has a nice, savoury, herbal cherry and undergrowth character on the nose. The firm, chunky, savoury palate has good complexity and a tiny bit of funkiness. A wine with some character. Very good/excellent
 

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