There will be a recurring theme to all coverage on Burgundy in 2021 - low volume. A region that has already seen supply strangled by high demand and a series of lower-yielding vintages is now releasing one of the smallest in recent history. This is the case for Jadot as much for anyone, whose cellars were worryingly empty after the 2021 harvest.
The reduction in quantity is largely due to devastating frosts in early April. A warm and early spring led to nascent buds bursting in late March, only to be heavily damaged weeks later when temperatures dropped as low as -7 celsius. Jadot lost 75% of their Chardonnay crop and 60% of the Pinot Noir; a similar proportion to Burgundy as a whole.
Following a wet April and May in which the vines recovered, June and July were warmer and allowed for fruiting buds to survive, though humidity was a constant threat. A warm, dry September saved the vintage, allowing the fruit to ripen fully. Harvest took place in late September with analysis bringing moderate alcohols and fresh acidities. In many ways, the wines are more like the Burgundies of old than the recent high-octane, concentrated vintages.
It is hard to generalise too much with 2021 Burgundy, decisions by winemakers and conditions from site to site have led to varied styles and quality. For Jadot, the best wines are excellent. The whites have good intensity and a creamy texture against vibrant acidity, offering layers of savoury depth synonymous with Old World Chardonnay. The reds are bright, floral and gently structured - they will be delicious fairly young and offer good mid-term drinking. In many ways they show similarities with the initially maligned but now inviting 2007s. For both colours, alcohols return to levels to enthral lovers of classic balance.
There is, of course, very little to go around. Some cuvées, such as Gevrey Lavaux St Jacques, were not made by Jadot. Blending of sites was required where volumes were simply too small to make individual bottlings. Tiny volumes of the top wines are available as a result. We have secured a selection of some of our favourites below, they are worthy additions to any drinker's cellar.
