2016 Louis Jadot Clos des Ursules

The 2016 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Ursules (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot) is showing very well indeed from bottle, wafting from the glass with a beautifully pure bouquet of red cherries, plums, subtle spices and citrus peel that only hint at the tertiary complexity to come with bottle age. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, elegant and velvety, with excellent depth at the core, succulent acids and a long, precise finish. The sheer finesse of this Clos des Ursules' tannins is really quite striking, but while that renders it deceptively approachable now, the real excitement will come with the better part of a decade of bottle age.

Good dark red. Aromas of cherry and flowers are complemented by a hint of mocha. Plusher in texture than the Bressandes but also with good reserve to its flavors of dark cherry and menthol. Turns more imploded and medicinal on the back half, ultimately finishing with a firm tannic spine. This solidly structured wine is a bit less sweet and floral than the Bressandes and more dominated by soil tones in the early going.

Cask sample. More sombre than Boucherottes, darker fruited in aroma. Chewy and red-fruited on the palate, a touch of strawberry sweetness. Dry textured but with juicy fruit at the core. (JH)