2011 Beaune Clos des Couchereaux

The 2011 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Couchereaux has a slightly reduced nose at the moment. The palate is tight, again a little tough on the entry with firm tannins, although there is plenty of punchy red berry fruit on the grippy finish. Fine. Drink 2014-2020. 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

(from south-facing vines on shallow, rocky hillside soil): Good medium red. Perfumed nose offers red cherry, crushed stone, fresh herbs and menthol. Silky and soil-driven, with an underlying rocky character giving the wine noteworthy delicacy. These vines now average at least 35 years of age, notes new winemaker Frederic Barnier.