2001 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques

The 2001 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru (magnum) has a lifted bouquet of crushed strawberry, blackberry, singed leather and a hint of clove and cedar, displaying much more vigor than the 1992 served alongside. The palate is medium-bodied with quite firm tannins. Masculine in style, it feels a little aloof at first, but I discern impressive substance toward the finish, which delivers gentle grip and a welcome note of black pepper on the aftertaste. This surprisingly bullish Clos Saint-Jacques should give another decade of enjoyment.

Medium red with a touch of amber. Musky, balsamic scents of plum, smoke, truffle and black olive tapenade; still showing good fruit retention. The tapenade note carries through onto the palate, which is round and energetic, conveying a touch of sweetness to its plum, spice and earth flavors. A wonderfully concentrated, silky wine to drink or hold. The tannins are serious but not dry, and are nicely buffered by notes of spices, earth and dried flowers. This sexy, classically dry wine would be great with Japanese dishes with soy sauce, or miso soup. Frédéric Barnier, who did not start at Jadot until ?? but was at ??, noted that 2001 was a growing season in two totally different parts: a very early start and then an awful August and September. He added that 2016 was the opposite: a terrible early season, then a hot and dry August and a good September. The 2001 reds, he told me, were very difficult to taste for the first ten years but are showing well now, while the whites are "either fantastic or dead." He believes that the faint amber edge of the Clos Saint-Jacques was due to botrytis in 2001.

Medium red. Superripe aromas of briary berries, chocolate and game; showed finer raspberry and rose petal notes with aeration. Initially offered a supple texture but rather clenched flavors of pomegranate, gingerbread and herbs, but opened nicely with aeration. A serious, structured wine with sneaky persistence. I found myself raising my score as I followed this in the glass. Give it at least five or six years of aging.