2016 Chevalier Montrachet Les Demoiselles
Buying options
Tasting notes
(two barrels produced, vs. a normal eight): Bright, pale yellow. Vibrant aromas of lemon gelato and wild herbs. Very complex, pure and refined, boasting an utterly silky, seamless texture to its intense citrus peel, fresh herb and mineral flavors. Really outstanding inner-mouth energy here, followed by a slowly mounting finish that saturates the taste buds. A great wine in the making, but not for drinking anytime soon. (I found the 2017 version a bit juicier and fruitier, and there will be ten barrels of the younger vintage as the crop level was generous.) According to winemaker Frédéric Barnier, 2017 has more sweetness as a vintage, but while the '17 Chevalier-Montrachet is round, opulent and tasty, the '16 is extremely pure, fresh and linear, and will expand with time in the cellar. But even today it's silky, tactile, edge-free and extremely long.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Demoiselles was reduced from the usual nine or ten barrels to just two this year because of frost damage. It has higher-toned fruit compared to the Montrachet at the moment: orange blossom, white peach, white flowers and a subtle cold stone scent that becomes more prominent with aeration. The palate is tensile on the entry with very fine focus. There is a pleasant saline note that becomes pronounced on the second half, spicier than I recall the 2015 being last year, with impressive persistence. Excellent.
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.