1997 Corton Pougets
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Tasting notes
("this must be 14% alcohol," noted Frédéric Barnier): Fresh medium red with a hint of amber. Less open on the nose than the '99, offering scents of plum and leather. Very glyceral, plush, massive wine with remarkable sweetness and concentration; seriously thick without coming across as ponderous. This unusually powerful wine offers flavors of red berries, red cherry and salty minerality complicated by hints of leather and mocha. The big tannins are horizontal and well-distributed. Yes, there's something a bit extreme about this bottling but it would appear to be built for a long life in bottle. I recall Jacques Lardière comparing his 1997s in the early going to Jadot's '47s, as he picked very late, holding out for fuller skin ripeness and simply eliminating rot-affected berries, ultimately losing up to 75% of the crop to botrytis.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
From a vintage where the overwhelming majority of estates complained about abnormally early and rapid malolactic fermentations, Lardiere's 1997 Corton Pougets was just finishing that secondary fermentation at the time of my visit, sixteen months after the harvest. It is medium-to-dark ruby-colored and tight both in its aromas and flavor profile. With aeration, scents of black fruits and tar could be detected. On the palate, this dense, medium-to-full-bodied, highly concentrated, and austere wine reluctantly revealed brambleberries, stones, and licorice. It is backward, replete with loads of well-ripened tannins, and demands cellaring. Projected maturity: 2004-2012. Importer: Kobrand, Inc., New York, NY; (212) 490-9300.
Deep red. Slightly reduced aromas of raspberry, gunpowder, smoke, minerals, earth and oak. Suave, thick and very concentrated; shows a medicinal austerity and a very solid structure for a '97. Vibrant and quite long, with a firm tannic spine.
About the producer
Louis Jadot is arguably the most consistent négociant house in Burgundy. It has managed to straddle both the entry-level and fine wine market, while retaining respect in both.