Château des Jacques - Moulin-à-Vent La Rochelle 2015

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

A complete wine that combines all the qualities of its neighbors: elegance, power, delicacy. Great smoothness on the palate. A classy wine.

About the domain :

The estate, owned by Beaune's Louis Jadot but managed independently, has grown considerably since its acquisition in 1996. The vineyard extends over 90 hectares, mainly in moulin-à-vent, of which he is one of the leading specialists. He owns plots in the best areas, such as Rochegrès, La Roche, Carquelins and, more recently, La Rochelle. Cyril Chirouze continues the work of excellence begun over fifteen years ago.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the domain :

Is the 2018 vintage the finest produced to date at Château des Jacques under Jadot's management? That's certainly the question I asked myself as I tasted these new releases, and Cyril Chirouze and his team deserve the warmest praise for what they've accomplished. When Jadot acquired this vast, historic estate in 1996, winemaking was rethought with a Burgundian accent, introducing de-stemming, long macerations, new oak and extended ageing. To my palate, the wood component of the wines was sometimes too much, even with bottle age; and that's why these 2018s stand out: they're simply the best-integrated wines I've tasted from Château des Jacques between 1996 and today. Deep, concentrated and elegantly muscular - after all, 2018 was a hot year - these are serious, cellar-bound wines, and I'm very optimistic indeed about their future. All the wines reviewed here are warmly recommended.

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

About the wine:

A lovely fruity dimension in this juicy wine, underscored by classy oak. Velvety and silky on the palate, this wine is beautifully structured without excess. The structure remains digestible and the juice taut on the finish.

About the domain :

Since its acquisition in 1996 by Louis Jadot of Beaune, the domaine's signature style has been fully acquired, and "Les Jacques" is shining as a model of Beaujolais de garde, while continuing to rely on Burgundian methods. After the Guillaume de Castelnau era (manager from 2000 to 2014), Pierre-Henri Gagey handed over the reins in 2016 to Cyril Chirouze, an agricultural engineer and oenologist, who had vinified here between 2007 and 2013. The parcel-based cuvées require a minimum of five years' cellaring to fully express the identity of their soils. We feel that the transition to organic production and the construction of the new winery have enabled us to reach a new milestone in the definition of our crus. We'll be keeping a close eye on this progress.