Chappelle-Chambertin

A vibrant, glowing purple with immediately more energy to the nose than Latricières, yet also with a sense of precision. It fills the mouth, a tannin or two behind but nicely integrated with the fruit. Finishes entirely on the energy. 
Jasper Morris, MW - Wine Buyer

It was difficult at the start and difficult at the end but OK in between”, says Nicolas, who began harvesting on 6th October. Younger vines flowered better, giving more volume than 2012, and only the Beaune vineyards were hailed on. There were no grave problems with rot, and they avoided heavy extraction as the colour came easily enough. Nicolas noted that cool vintages such as 2013 are best for terroir definition, and certainly the hallmark of his wines this year is elegance, and precision.

Noticeably a fuller purple colour than other wines from the Rossignol-Trapet stable, this Chapelle-Chambertin has a really stylish and graceful nose. The fruit coats the mouth, without massive density, and the stems have been used to provide freshness - as this wine always produces soft ripe fruit. This is a great success in 2010.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

Several years down the road since they switched to biodynamic farming, the Rossignol brothers are looking at ways to fine-tune the finished product with a few tweaks in their cellar work. They have been careful to aerate their excellent 2010s throughout the vinification process to avoid any problems of reduction and to soften the end palate of the wines. Some stems were used again this year, albeit less than in 2009.

A fine, medium-deep red-purple, the colour and bouquet are both more restrained than Latricières, before some attractive dark cherry notes start to arrive. This is supple, refined and very long indeed, even more than the Latricières. The finish is truly astonishing. Drink 2025-2035.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer

Nicolas and David Rossignol report a healthy crop in quality and quantity, though a little reduced in the Grands Crus. They began on 7th September, using around 50 percent whole bunches, and avoided any punching down during vinification as there was no need to search for extraction, preferring a daily pumping-over and aeration. As ever there is only a modest use of new oak and sulphur levels are kept low. They have made unquestionably brilliant wines this year.

Most of the vines are in the En La Chapelle section, with a quarter in Les Gémeaux. The latter has deeper soil, and its component is rounder and riper. Blended with En La Chapelle’s cooler style, this becomes a high- toned, succulently fruity red, with such a bright line of freshness. This is really energising. Drink 2025-2035.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

The domaine was created through the marriage of Jacques Rossignol of Volnay with Mado Trapet from a noted family in Gevrey-Chambertin. Their sons Nicolas and David Rossignol have managed the domaine since 1990, moving subsequently to biodynamic farming. The first experiments started in 1997 with their Chapelle- Chambertin, followed by conversion of the whole domaine in 2004. Vinification includes a small proportion of whole bunches, while the trend in recent years has been to look for an increasingly elegant expression of Pinot Noir. It’s a remarkable cellar this year, with brothers Nicolas and David radiating calm and understanding. As elsewhere, this was a very challenging vintage for them, especially in Beaune, the village Gevrey vines and Le Chambertin. Containing the mildew required an incredible amount of work by hand. Their biodynamic strategy seems to have paid off though; after a slow start to the range, the impression was of incremental qualities. Intensity, not density. Nicolas and David referred us to Nono, Love and the Soil by Gaston Roupnel, a novelist born in Gevrey.

This is Domaine Louis Jadot, and is from vines planted in 1921. This is exceptional in 2016; a fine, graceful flow of pure fruit, laced with a hint of graphite and elevated by subliminal freshness. The finish is long and detailed; it could be even better than the 2015. Drink 2025-2035.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

The house of Louis Jadot was founded in 1859 though the family had previously been vignerons in the region, acquiring their famous Clos des Ursules in 1826. The company is today run by Pierre-Henri Gagey, while Frédéric Barnier replaced veteran winemaker Jacques Lardière in 2013. Louis Jadot owns over 60 hectares of vineyard, many of them Premier and Grand Cru. Recent developments have included the establishment of the tonnellerie Cadus in Ladoix-Serrigny and expansion of the modern winery facilities on the Route de Savigny, with a new white-wine vinification centre completed in 2009. Jadot’s harvest ran from 25th September to 14th October, with conditions marked by cool winds and sunshine. For the whites, malolactic fermentation was blocked to leave one to 1.5 grams of malic acid. The idea is to use this freshness as a textural component to help the wines during their maturation, much like tannin in red wines. Jadot’s choice of Diam corks since 2011 has allowed a reduction in the level of SO2, lowering the level of reduction and also any sharpness that can evolve with SO2 and malic acid in combination.

These are the oldest vines owned by Domaine Louis Jadot, having been planted in 1921. The age of the plants means that they rarely suffer from vintage variation and the wine always has remarkable concentration and intensity. Spicy and rich, with dark cherry fruit, this has incredible power and a haunting violet perfume. Hedonistic. Drink 2025-2035.

These are the oldest vines owned by Domaine Louis Jadot, having been planted in 1921. The age of the plants means that they rarely suffer from vintage variation and the wine always has remarkable concentration and intensity. It’s rich and dense, but generous rather than heavy, with griotte cherry and spicy, meaty notes. Drink 2024-2034.

Export Director Sigfried Pic explains that it was essential to wait for the red grapes to be fully ripe, and that the perfect conditions around harvest allowed them to do so, thus avoiding green notes or harsh tannins. The practice of blocking a proportion of the malolactic fermentation for the white wines was useful, lending the wines a sizzling freshness which balances the sunny fruit of the vintage. Our range is exclusively from vineyards that are owned or managed by Jadot, under the various banners of Domaine Louis Jadot, Héritiers Louis Jadot, Domaine Gagey and Domaine du Duc de Magenta. Ownership is indicated in each note.
White

With a core of old vines planted in 1924 and 1938, this is a dynamic and sensual wine. There is more density than in the Latricières and it also feels riper. But it also feels alive and cerebral, with a superbly confident finish. This was the brothers’ first vineyard to change to biodynamics. Drink 2026-2035.

For Nicolas, with the domaine’s focus on biodynamics, this was an année calme, a welcome respite between 2016 and 2018. His biggest challenge was to manage the pruning of the canes affected by last year’s frosts, so a green harvest was necessary as well. Harvesting started on 5th September in their Beaune-Teurons. He opted for lighter extraction this year with no punchdowns, but some délestage (rack and return) for aeration. Nicolas feels the style is very close to their 2016s. It is certainly a fine range this year and proof that good vineyard work was key to success.