Louis Jadot Chevalier Montrachet Les Demoiselles Grand Cru 2020 (750ML)

95-97 WA / 94-96 JM / 93-96 BH / 95 DE / 93-95 VM

(Domaine des Heritiers Jadot)

The king of the cellar on the white side of the ledger is the 2020 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru Les Demoiselles (Domaine des Héritiers Jadot), a striking wine that unfurls in the glass with notes of citrus oil, white flowers, buttered popcorn, chalky soil tones, beeswax and spices. Full-bodied, multidimensional and layered, it's muscular and concentrated, with racy acids, an abundance of structuring dry extract and a long, resonant finish. It is worth a special effort to seek out. The 2020 vintage has turned out beautifully at this address, delivering concentrated, flavorful wines with alcohol levels between 13.3% and 13.7% and with low pHs. Winemaker Frédéric Barnier told me that efforts were made to pick earlier in the day, and that fruit waiting to be processed was kept fresh in a special cold room. In the cellar, foudres and 500-liter barrels now complement classic 228-liter pièces, a further evolution adapting to warmer, riper vintages. But aside from the quality of the 2020s and these technical developments, described in more detail in the accompanying tasting notes, there's other noteworthy news too: in 2021, Jadot entered into organic conversion for their domaine vineyards.—William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

A pale colour with a lively reflection. The nose shows an elegance which was not to be found, nor expected, in the Bâtard. Pure white fruit with a light vanilla overlay, a bouquet suggesting medium plus body, all with discretion. This is classical Chevalier in its purity, effortless intensity with no seeming weight, then a very finely chiselled mineral acidity to finish. As so often with 2020 whites there is intensity without any feeling of alcohol or undue weight. Tasted: November 2021.--Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

A cooler, airier and more elegant if more restrained nose somewhat grudgingly displays its blend of green apple, lemon-lime, tangerine peel and a stunning array of floral wisps, all of which is trimmed in subtle though perceptible wood influence. The rich, concentrated and impressively intense and powerful larger-scaled flavors also brim with abundant dry extract on the palate coating, moderately tannic and hugely long finish. This manages the neat trick of being robust yet strikingly refined and is a Dem that should easily reward 12 to 15 years of cellaring.—Allen Meadows, Burghound

A wine of impressive tension and length. The aromas begin with lemon peel and a saline minerality, before growing in richness to include fresh quince and ripe apricots. The best whites in 2020 - such as this one - balance acidity with richness and are a treat. This plot of Chevalier, just a bit over a half-hectare, was upgraded to grand cru from premier cru Caillerets. In times of global warming, this location at the top of the slope is perfect for Chardonnay. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.—Charles Curtis, Decanter

The 2020 Chevalier-Montrachet Demoiselles Grand Cru is fresh and vibrant on the nose, yellow plum intermixed with white flowers, crushed stone and wild peach. This is certainly more complex than the Bâtard-Montrachet. The palate is well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and fresh on the entry with hints of white peach and citrus fruit, though like the Bâtard-Montrachet, I would have liked more sustain on the aftertaste, though I find it does develop more "bite" with aeration. Closure: Diam—Neal Martin, Vinous Media