Winemaker Notes
The Clos-de-Bèze occupies a rectangular 38-acre plot in the center of Gevrey's grand cru slope just north of Le Chambertin. Clos-de-Bèze may take the Le Chambertin appellation, but not vice-versa, an indication of its slightly superior quality. Indeed, though Clos-de-Bèze is nearly seven acres larger than Le Chambertin, its average annual production is approximately six percent less. Domaine Louis Jadot controls 2.04 acres in Clos-de-Bèze of which half were acquired in 1985 through the purchase of Domaine Clair Daü, with the balance under long-term contract. The majestic wine it yields is a quintessential Clos-de-Bèze: rich, sumptuous and with an extraordinary balance of power, elegance and delicacy. The brilliant, brocaded texture finishes in long, lingering notes of berries and oak.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Chambertin Clos de Beze is in another league from Jadot's other 2006 vintage Chambertin grand crus, or for that matter any wines that went before it in that collection. A complex and classic Clos de Beze nose of rose petal, black raspberry, peat, licorice, dark chocolate, and smoked meats leads to a correspondingly multi-faceted palate of silken textural refinement, underlain by savory, saline minerality. In the best manner of the vintage, this marries soothing and invigoration, concentration and elegance, finishing with lift and refinement as well as riveting, vibratory interplay and extraordinary reach. It should be exciting to plug into a bottle of it anytime over the next 15 years, if not longer.
Celebrated as some of the best wine in the universe, red wine from Burgundy, otherwise known as red Burgundy, is Pinot noir. In fact Burgundy is the birthplace of Pinot noir and the source of the planet’s most sensual, delicate, valuable and sought-after Pinot noir wines.
Understanding and enjoying red Burgundy can stay simple, with a basic knowledge of its subregions, become more intricate by dialing down to the villages and vineyards or become a life-long passion, exploring climats (plots of vines), vintages and the post French Revolution land ownership laws. In any case, a fine red Burgundy will display refined nuances of black currant, red fruit, earth, spice, alluring floral aromatics and have great elegance, complexity and longevity.
Most famous, praised and collected of Burgunday are those from the Côte d'Or. Hundreds of millions of years ago, the area now called Côte d'Or was under a warm ocean whose sea floor has, over time, shifted and decomposed into various layers of limestone, sandstone and clay interspersed with ancient fossilized sea creatures. This is what is referred to as the famous escarpment upon which all of the highly sought-after Grands Crus and Premiers Crus vineyards can be found. In other words, from north to south, the best vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey-St-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Flagey-Echezeaux, Nuits-St-Georges, Aloxe-Corton, Pommard and Volnay follow the path of this ancient sea bed.