2009 1er Cote de Beaune Louis Jadot 150th anniversary

This is a special cuvee done in only the better years, and it's also a big anniversary. So it got super reviews for a genuine burgundy at a relatively reasonable price (I think it was $30 from Calvert Woodley where I bought six btls). Tonight I opened the first of the six. I'm somewhat disappointed. It's a nice but rather light and simple pinot noir.  But I see that Parker's newsletter says the wine shouldn't be opened until 2019. My experience with pinot noir is admittedly limited and I hope Parker et al are right. To me this is a light, simple wine with a nice strawberry nose and palate but not much else. Though I admit that the longer it sits in the glass the more it seems to thicken up and develop some body and acid and even a bit of tannin. So, a learning experience for me with good burgundy. I'll leave the rest of the bottles alone for 5 years.

Parker 94 points: The 2009 Beaune 150 th Anniversary Cuvee is a commemorative wine created to celebrate Jadot’s 150th birthday. The 150th Anniversary Cuvee is a selection of the maison’s best parcels in the Cote de Beaune. It boasts extraordinary richness and length, not to mention fabulous overall balance. Seemingly endless layers of intensely fragrant dark red fruit build to the effortless, huge finish. This is a fabulous showing from Jadot. It is just as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel. I think it is safe to say Jadot hit it out the park with this effort. Readers will be tempted to drink the 2009 early, so immense is its appeal, but opening a bottle before its tenth birthday is likely to be nothing more than an academic exercise. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039. 

91 points Allen Meadows - Burghound

 This anniversary wine commemorating Jadot’s 150th year or operation is a much more interesting effort than the name would suggest. I say this because they have blended together some 19 different Beaune premiers crus. I would start by explaining that when I first opened the bottle it was very closed and reticent and this note is based on a decanted bottle that was kept at cellar temperature while seeing approximately 2 hours of air first so please calibrate your impressions accordingly. The natural ripeness of the 2009 vintage is less apparent with the air though at the same time it accentuates the underlying structure. While the nose is certainly ripe it is not over ripe and is actually quite pretty with attractive red berry fruit, earth and very subtle mineral hints. There is good volume and reasonable concentration to the fleshy and delicious medium-bodied flavors that possess fine intensity and detail, all wrapped in a moderately structured, dusty, mouth coating and firm finish that displays a touch of youthful austerity. This should reward 6 to 8 years of upside and need 2 to 3 before it could at least be drunk with pleasure as it’s a bit tight today even with air.  (10/ 2012)