Chapelle Chambertin, Louis Jadot 2010

**Note: from En Gémeaux; these are the oldest vines of the entire Jadot portfolio of owned vineyards**This was quite reduced at first and required more than an hour of aeration to finally reveal fresh, cool and mineral-inflected red berry fruit, earth, game, humus and forest floor aromas. There is superb intensity to the almost aggressively stone and beautifully well-delineated large-scaled flavors that possess an extremely firm, mouth coating and driving finish. There is a real sense of underlying tension with an overt austerity to the very serious and stunningly long finish. The En Gémeaux character of pungent minerality is about as front and center as I have ever seen it. I repeat that this is at present one very, very austere wine and there is absolutely zero reason to open a bottle young. However, if you choose to commit wine infanticide of such an egregious nature, give it 4 to 6 hours in a decanter. I believe based on how the wine evolved over several days that it will in time be genuinely excellent as the underlying material is certainly present but this is most definitely a "bury in the back of the cellar and forget you own it" Chapelle.

The Chapelle-Chambertin seems superior to the Griotte-Chambertin: very polished nose with noticeable new oak. The palate is medium-bodied with a lively, tart entry followed by firm tannins and a slightly dry, salty finish. It needs time to meld together in bottle, but it has a fine gritty, earthiness to it. Tasted January 2012.

Good full, medium red. Expressive, nuanced aromas of strawberry, raspberry, crushed stone, smoke and flowers. Glyceral yet light on its feet, with a suave, silky texture to its vibrant, savory red fruit, floral and mineral flavors. Not at all a superripe style: really perks up the palate and leaves the mouth refreshed on the very long, sweet/savory finish. This classy grand cru finishes with captivating perfumed lift.