1996 Louis Jadot Charmes-Chambertin

Maison Louis Jadot is one of Burgundy’s most respected negociants. Founded in 1859 by the Jadot family, the prestige and quality of the estate’s wines were well established in the 19th century. The family continued buying highly desirable vineyards in the 20th century. In 1985 the estate was sold to Rudy Kopf, Jadot’s American importer. Located in Beaune, the estate has 336 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay. Though all the maison’s wines are known for their high quality, signature wines are the Bonnes Mares, Chambertin-Close de Beze, Chevalier-Montrachet les Demoiselles, Corton-Charlemagne, Le Montrachet and Musigny. Pierre-Henry Gagey is president.

Charmes-Chambertin is a 78-acre Grand Cru vineyard in Gevrey-Chambertin that traditionally includes the acreage of nearby Mazoyeres-Chambertin. For nearly 200 years the growers of Mazoyeres have been legally allowed to sell their wines under the more famous name of Charmes-Chambertin, and virtually all of them do. Charmes-Chambertin is the largest of the Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus, and it generally has an excellent reputation. The slope of the vineyard is gentle and the surface soil poor. But producers including Joseph Roty, Christian Serafin, Domaine Dujac, Faiveley and Joseph Drouhin are acclaimed for their Charmes Chambertin. Principal landholders are Camus, with 14.75 acres; Perrot-Minot, 4 acres; and Armand Rousseau, 3.5 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.