2005 Louis Jadot Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er Cru

Alluring scents of ripe purple plum, black currant, clove, and star anise mark Jadot’s 2005 Vosne-Romanee Beaux Monts. Smoked and roasted meat flavors ally themselves to dark fruits and exotic spices on the palate, with subtle hints of caramel and vanilla from the oak accenting rather than intruding. This displays a warmer, more obviously rich and opulent character than many young 2005 Vosnes and than nearly any other 2005s from Jadot. Deep, fat folds of fruit persist with spices and low-toned roasted meat into an imposingly long, sumptuous finish. One could enjoy this soon if it does not close up, but it certainly has the concentration and potential to reward at least five years’ patience. Jacques Lardiere has once again presided over a collection for the most part not intended to flatter in its youth, but rather to achieve an eventual balance of fruit acidity with (in this instance frequently quite prominent) tannin. Prolonged post-fermentative extraction promoted a formidably-structured group of wines, which Lardiere expressed no hurry about bottling. Certain of these – particularly from the Cote de Beaune – displayed a slightly drying finishing astringency or simply an austere lack of charm to match their concentration, traits Lardiere suggested might be traceable to drought stress in those sites. A brief July rain that reached the Cote de Nuits but not the Cote de Beaune was critical, he asserts, and all of Jadot’s vines in the northern Cote were picked before the harvest in the south commenced. (Wines from the Domaine Louis Jadot, Domaine Heritiers Louis Jadot, or Domaine Gagey, have been identified with a letter “D” in their listings.) Also recommended: 2005 Cote de Nuits-Villages Le Vaucrain ($25.00;86+?), 2005 Santenay Clos de Malte ($27.00; 85-87), 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Guettes (84-86+?), 2005 Nuits-St.-Georges ($37.00; 85-87+?), 2005 Chambolle-Musigny ($50.00; 85-87+?). Importer: Kobrand, Inc., New York, NY; tel.(212) 490 9300

Good ruby-red. Very ripe but brooding aromas of dark berries, bitter chocolate and licorice, with a minty, medicinal element. Dense, sweet and suave, with an enticing, subtle sweetness, good lift and a layered texture. Finishes with chewy tannins and excellent length. (By the way, Lardiere is high on the 2004 version of this bottling.)

Alluring scents of ripe purple plum, black currant, clove, and star anise mark Jadot’s 2005 Vosne-Romanee Beaux Monts. Smoked and roasted meat flavors ally themselves to dark fruits and exotic spices on the palate, with subtle hints of caramel and vanilla from the oak accenting rather than intruding. This displays a warmer, more obviously rich and opulent character than many young 2005 Vosnes and than nearly any other 2005s from Jadot. Deep, fat folds of fruit persist with spices and low-toned roasted meat into an imposingly long, sumptuous finish. One could enjoy this soon if it does not close up, but it certainly has the concentration and potential to reward at least five years’ patience. ||Jacques Lardiere has once again presided over a collection for the most part not intended to flatter in its youth, but rather to achieve an eventual balance of fruit acidity with (in this instance frequently quite prominent) tannin. Prolonged post-fermentative extraction promoted a formidably-structured group of wines, which Lardiere expressed no hurry about bottling. Certain of these – particularly from the Cote de Beaune – displayed a slightly drying finishing astringency or simply an austere lack of charm to match their concentration, traits Lardiere suggested might be traceable to drought stress in those sites. A brief July rain that reached the Cote de Nuits but not the Cote de Beaune was critical, he asserts, and all of Jadot’s vines in the northern Cote were picked before the harvest in the south commenced. (Wines from the Domaine Louis Jadot, Domaine Heritiers Louis Jadot, or Domaine Gagey, have been identified with a letter “D” in their listings.)||Also recommended: 2005 Cote de Nuits-Villages Le Vaucrain ($25.00;86+?), 2005 Santenay Clos de Malte ($27.00; 85-87), 2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Guettes (84-86+?), 2005 Nuits-St.-Georges ($37.00; 85-87+?), 2005 Chambolle-Musigny ($50.00; 85-87+?). Wine Advocate.June, 2007