Louis Jadot - Mercurey 1er cru Grand Clos Fortoul 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The Gagey family became involved in this veritable piece of Burgundian historical heritage upon the death of Louis-Auguste Jadot. With no heir, the estate was entrusted in 1962 to André Gagey, who remained its manager until 1991, when he handed over the reins to his son Pierre-Henry, who now oversees the 225 hectares of vineyards. Since 2011, Frédéric Barnier has been in charge of winemaking, perfectly succeeding Jacques Lardière and further improving the consistency and homogeneity of all the wines. The whites are pneumatically pressed and fermented directly in barrels, where they are aged on lees with periodic stirring for 12 to 20 months. The red wines are vinified destemmed, uncrushed, without cold pre-fermentation, and undergo a vatting period of 25 to 27 days before beginning their 12 to 22 months of aging in barrels, a third of which are new.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

This prestigious wine merchant is run with great efficiency by Pierre-Henry Gagey, who is very involved in Burgundy. The company has an extensive range and a beautiful collection of terroirs, including the main Burgundy appellations. Frédéric Barnier, who has been in charge of winemaking since 2012, is gradually making his mark by refining the wines. Consistency is one of this house's strengths. While the whites show beautiful balance, the reds are strict and severe, with woodiness dominating the fruit and even acetate notes, which this year detract from the enjoyment of certain vintages. Let's hope this is temporary, as the star is under threat.

James Suckling