Maison Louis Jadot Chevalier-Montrachet 'Les Demoiselles' Grand Cru(1996)

still a wonderful experience to drink and it's comforting to know for those that own it that it's still on its way up. In short, this is a brilliant wine, indeed a text book example and quite simply the finest Jadot Demoiselles I have ever had the pleasure to drink and one that will last for decades in this format.    (hide)

of course so I want to preserve the minerality but I don't care for thin, acidic wines and thus I want some fat to buffer the minerality. That said, I would rather preserve some malic acid if it adds to the mouth feel and structure though every vintage is different. And I don't believe the élevage should be any different from our Côte d'Or whites. About the only difference is that our Chablis villages is 100% stainless and we use almost no new oak and then only for the grands crus. Lardière says Jadot doesn't buy very much as they're really looking for quality and in fact, the average volume is 1000 hl, or about 11,000 cases annually. The mix of wines offered is limited and in a typical vintage, Jadot buys only a Chablis villages, Montmains, Vaillons, Fourchaume, Côte de Léchet, Preuses and Grenouilles and for a period of time, there was a Valmur. On this visit, Lardière surprised me with a mini vertical of various wines and vintages and I present all of them here. Note that a few wines were opened from 375 ml bottles. (Kobrand Corporation, New York, NY; Hatch, Mansfield Agencies, UK). Unfortunately, it seems that very few '96s are immune from pre-mature oxidation and I have had more than one poor bottle of this wine. However, when you get a good one, such as the one that was in this tasting, it is without question a reference standard example of a great Chevalier. The purity, elegance and sheer beauty of this wine is frankly difficult to adequately describe as words just don't seem up to the task. There is nuance after nuance among the brilliantly delineated aromas of white flowers, citrus, wet stone and rose blossoms that perfectly complement the focused and laser-precise medium full flavors that are like rolling liquid rocks around in the mouth. There is a barely contained intensity and one can sense the slow build from the mid-palate to the explosive finish that goes on and on. While no where near ready, this is so good that it's still a wonderful experience to drink and it's comforting to know for those that own it that it's still on its way up. In short, this is a brilliant wine, indeed a textbook example and quite simply the finest Jadot Demoiselles I have ever had the pleasure to drink.    (hide)

medium full flavors that are like rolling liquid rocks around in the mouth. There is a barely contained intensity and one can sense the slow build from the mid-palate to the explosive finish that goes on and on. While no where near ready, this is so good that it's still a wonderful experience to drink and it's comforting to know for those that own it that it's still on its way up. In short, this is a brilliant wine, indeed a text book example and quite simply the finest Jadot Demoiselles I have ever had the pleasure to drink.    (hide)