2011 Vosne Romanee Les Suchots

Good bright red. Reticent but pure nose shows a medicinal reserve to the aromas of redcurrant, fresh herbs and spices. Spicy, saline and juicy in the mouth if a bit tightly wound. The tangy redcurrant, pomegranate, pepper and fresh herb flavors are intense but youthfully imploded today. Will this precise premier cru show more flesh with a few years in the cellar?

The 2011 Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots has a lucid ruby color. The bouquet is very pure and sensual with lovely ripe red currant and fresh strawberry fruit that is beautifully interwoven with the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with a slightly herbaceous entry. Brittle tannins and chalky in texture but fine focus on the finish, this is a satisfying Les Suchots. Drink 2015-2025. This was the first time I had been back to Louis Jadot’s expansive winery on the northern outskirts of Beaune since their memorable 150th anniversary tasting back in 2008. As I quipped in the previous issue, Jacques Lardiere was then talking about his imminent retirement that seemed to never come. But on this occasion, there was new winemaker Frederic Barnier there to greet me. He has large shoes to fill but he seems up to the task of steering this important Burgundy name to a new chapter, having worked alongside Jacques for a couple of years. “At the beginning, we were not so confident about the whites,” he explained in reference to his 2011s, “but it has been a nice surprise. The dry spring of 2011 affected the level of ripeness but it has lent freshness, but with low acidity.” We did not have time to taste the entire portfolio of over 80 crus, but instead took a sample of 20 white and reds from both the 2010 and 2011 vintages. Importer: Kobrand, Purchase, NY; tel. (914) 253-7700

(15% vendange entier): Good medium red. Soil-driven aromas of raspberry, minerals, mocha, pepper and chocolate. Very concentrated and complex but youthfully backward today, showing excellent energy to the flavors of raspberry, crushed stone, spices and flowers. Finishes with captivating building sweetness. A lot of potential here.