Some of us seem to need a theme to use as an excuse to get together and drink wine. We’ve wanted to look further into the St-Jacques vineyards for some time, one thought comparing all of the Clos St-Jacques producers’ wines. But in casting around for an idea, we decided to put that one on hold, and this time around decided to try to compare the various St-Jacques vineyards. They are all right next to each other, but have somewhat different exposures and soil types as I understand it. Clos St-Jacques rows go top to bottom on the slope, whereas Estournelles is limited to the upper portion, and Lavaux to the lower, and can be somewhat cooler sites, depending upon the year. In surveying what we had, the best option was to do all Jadot wines and use 2005. A 1999 Jadot Clos St Jacques was thrown in to round things out. Wines were double decanted 2-4 hours before the tasting.
Wines tasted were:
2005 Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Estournelles St-Jacques
2005 Jadot Gevrey-Cambertin Lavaux St-Jacques
2005 Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St-Jacques
1999 Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St-Jacques
(other wines included before and after-- 2014 d’Angerville Aligote, 2010 PCYM Chassagne Caillerets, 1999 Ramonet Chassagne Morgeot (corked), and 2003 Eitelsbadner-Kurthauserhofberg(sp?) Auslese)
I was a little worried that the 2005’s would not be ready, particularly as the Jadot’s for me can be a little lackluster earlier in life. On our first run through it seemed that my fears might be borne out–the wines, while enjoyable and not closed down, seemed very much the same–like they had just applied different labels to bottles of the same wine. Over time and with further air, the wines differentiated somewhat.
The wines all had a similar typical Gevrey cherry/rust/underbrush profile, and the 2005’s all had fairly remarkable fruit density and depth, still quite primary. The Estournelles was a little brighter, higher toned wine with more red cherry and a bit lighter on it’s feet (one taster preferred it as it “tasted more like Pinot Noir”). The Lavaux had darker cherry fruit, plums, and some woody underbrush, and was a bit closer in character to the Clos St-Jacques. The 05 Clos St-Jacques was concentrated, darker, more reticent, a bit brooding, with underlying dark cherry, iron, same underbrush with a few pine needles thrown on top. A little more evident oak than the others.
the 99 Clos St Jacques did not have the same concentration as the 2005’s, and was a bit reticent, but with time blossomed some dark berry, plum, cherry fruit. Some secondary character is beginning to show. I think it may be in a bit of a transitioning phase. Still very enjoyable.
In sum the wines are very similar. In a riper year like 2005, the value play in my mind would be to go for the Lavaux. I do wonder how this might change in a less ripe or warm year.