(a blend of 17 different owned 1ers plus another 4 that were bought in; this was given 27 months of elevage before bottling). A subtle touch of wood sets off ripe and relatively elegant notes of earth, dark cherry and spice. The mid-palate is dense, serious and powerful with plenty of mouth coating sap that helps to buffer the very firm tannic spine on the moderately austere, backward and built-to-age finale. While this is presently backward it should be approachable after 6 to 8 years of bottle age though note that it should live for a very long time. For readers having a child or grandchild in 2012 this would be a good choice to buy in quantity at a price that won`t break the bank.

Jadot’s 2012 Beaune 1er Cru Celebration is aromatically quite expressive, with lovely bright, floral notes that play off a core of red berry and stone fruits. The gracious, almost feminine, bouquet is alluring and suggests a wine that is quite open, but the palate sensation is completely different. Tiny yields and high skin to juice ratios yielded red Burgundies with huge tannic clout that obscures the fruit, which is exactly how the wine comes across in tasting. It will be interesting to see if the 2012 softens over time, or if it gains volume with aging. Today, it is decidedly on the austere side of things.