2009 Beaune Clos des Ursules

Medium red. Slightly high-toned perfume of raspberry, mint and blood orange. Concentrated, vinous and firm, with excellent energy and a medicinal reserve to the nicely delineated red berry and mineral flavors. Stands out more for its juiciness than its fat, but there's plenty of texture here. Finishes brisk, firm and powerful, with enticing sweetness and complex saline soil tones. My bottle was still remarkably fresh after five days in the refrigerator. Winemaker Jacques Lardiere noted last year that he clearly preferred the Cote de Nuits in 2009, but this wine is a standout. (Top Burgundies cost a bloody fortune these days, assuming you can find them in the first place, but this very fresh 2009 delivers excellent quality for its price.)

Medium red. Slightly high-toned perfume of raspberry, mint and blood orange. Concentrated, vinous and firm, with excellent energy and a medicinal reserve to the nicely delineated red berry and mineral flavors. Stands out more for its juiciness than its fat, but there's plenty of texture here. Finishes brisk, firm and powerful, with enticing sweetness and complex saline soil tones. My bottle was still remarkably fresh after five days in the refrigerator. Winemaker Jacques Lardiere noted last year that he clearly preferred the Cote de Nuits in 2009, but this wine is a standout.

The 2009 Beaune Clos des Ursules is another terrific effort. Nothing in particular stands out, just the wine’s fabulous overall balance. A seamless, beautifully integrated red, the 2009 Clos des Ursules flows across the palate with layers of textured fruit. Silky tannins frame an exceptionally elegant and polished finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2022. I tasted an impressive range of wines with Jacques Lardiere and his successor Frederic Barnier, who is slated to take over when Lardiere retires at the end of 2012. Jadot makes a mind-bending number of wines, but I limited myself to the best 35 or so examples. In 2009 Jadot began harvesting on September 6. All of the reds were made from 100% destemmed fruit. Maceration times varied from wine to wine, but according to Lardiere all of the wines were made with essentially the same approach. Lardiere is another of the producers who compares 2009 to 1959, and believes the wines will age well because of their density of fruit and minerality. Many of the estate’s own vineyards are farmed biodynamically, but of course Jadot also sources a significant amount of wine from other growers that is not necessarily from biodynamically farmed vineyards. Importer: Kobrand Corp., Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7756