2017 Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques

Clos St Jacques has to be up there as one of the finest Premier Crus in the whole of the Cote de Nuits. It is often cited as producing wine more akin to Grand Cru quality and remains a precious jewel for the five lucky producers fortunate to have vines on this hallowed ground (Rousseau, Fourrier, Sylvie Esmonin, Bruno Clair and Jadot). Robert Parker states: “There is no doubt that a Clos St Jacques from Domaine Rousseau, Bruno Clair, Esmonin, or Louis Jadot is of Grand Cru quality”. It has the perfect south easterly exposure whilst being at a higher and cooler altitude the grapes mature more slowly producing a heightened level of complexity. Clive Coates MW describes how wines from Clos St Jacques can be “exquisite; rich, ample, full-bodied and distinctive…a wine of real depth and dimension. It is clearly head and shoulders above all the other Gevrey Premier Crus”. The Louis Jadot site is well positioned nestled between Domaine Fourrier and Bruno Clair. All 5 growers have strips that run top to bottom, necessary to provide a consistency of terroir with lighter topsoil higher up and richer clays lower down the site. Jasper Morris MW states “Clos St Jacques can be such a complete wine. It has structure, weight and certainly complexity”. Glossy and glass-coating, lots of extract evident from the outset. Fresh and vibrant on the nose, candied strawberry, ripe cherry, ripe and pure but fresh. Beautiful floral perfume. Very attractive nose indeed. Palate exhibits excellent concentration and sweetness, lots of flesh on these bones. Sappy, bright red fruit, mouth-coating. The tannins still need to fully integrate, but the profile is layered, a very fine tannic structure allowing the wine to grow in the palate. This is excellent, will require patience but will blossom into something seductive and irresistible.