2020 Charmes-Chambertin, Grand Cru, Louis Jadot, Burgundy

The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Maison Louis Jadot) has turned out nicely this year, bursting with aromas of orange rind, sweet berry fruit, petals and spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and perfumed, it's ample and generous, concluding with a youthfully chewy finish.

The 2020 vintage has turned out beautifully at this address, delivering concentrated, flavorful wines with alcohol levels between 13.3% and 13.7% and with low pHs. Winemaker Frédéric Barnier told me that efforts were made to pick earlier in the day, and that fruit waiting to be processed was kept fresh in a special cold room. In the cellar, foudres and 500-litre barrels now complement classic 228-liter pièces, a further evolution adapting to warmer, riper vintages. But aside from the quality of the 2020s and these technical developments, described in more detail in the accompanying tasting notes, there's other noteworthy news too: in 2021, Jadot entered into organic conversion for their domaine vineyards.

The 2020 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru has a very seductive, quintessential nose with plush blueberry and black cherry fruit, well defined, sumptuous in style. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, fine acidity, dense and grippy with an almost Mazis-like structure on the finish. Excellent, but it will require time in bottle.

Drink 2027 - 2050