2011 Chassagne Montrachet La Romanee
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
Good bright, pale lemon-yellow. Subdued but pure aromas of honey, wet stone and nutty oak. Round and sweet on the palate, but with good mineral grip to the ripe pear and floral flavors. Longer than the Caillerets but also oakier and more backward. This tiny cuvee spent its first six months in a new barrel and then was moved into used oak. This wine may merit an even higher score if it absorbs some of its oakiness.
Critic scores
Average Score
Allen Meadows, Burghound
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Jadot's 2011 Chassagne-Montrachet La Romanee is one of the more subtle, nuanced wines in this lineup. Although texturally quite beautiful and silky, the 2011 is less expressive in its aromas and flavors than some of the other wines in the range. Lemon oil, white flowers and honey all flesh out on the soft, inviting finish. This is quite good, but lacks just a little bit of depth to be more than that.
The 2011 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Romanee is generous on the nose with scents of creme brulee and hazelnut that are very intense. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry with crisp acidity, a touch of sour lemon and a lovely fresh, tense finish. Very fine. Drink 2012-2022. 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
There is a very mild hint of exoticism to the broad-ranging nose of pear, lemon peel, spice, dried apricot and green apple. There is absolutely stunning complexity to the exceptionally rich and intense flavors that exude a fine minerality on the gorgeously persistent, very dry and impeccably well-balanced finish. This is seriously impressive and arguably the best 1er in the entire range in 2011. Tasted: Jun 11, 2013. Drink: 2019+
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.