2018 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Célébration 

BY NEAL MARTIN | APRIL 19, 2021

A few years ago, I was fortunate to attend an evening tasting of ancient vintages from Louis Jadot reserves, a cornucopia of rare bottles stretching back to the 1860s. It was to celebrate Jadot’s 150th anniversary. Readers can find tasting notes from that remarkable night in the database. This was the catalyst for a special cuvée, a blend from several Premier Cru climats within the Beaune appellation, that was inaugurated with the 2009 vintage. It was so successful that it has been followed-up in special years such as 2012, 2015 and now the latest release, 2018. 

The 2018 Beaune 1er Cru Célébration offers crunchy red berry fruit on the nose, crushed strawberry mingling with raspberry preserve and cranberry. A light vanilla scent emerges from the background. It is all disarmingly seductive (even more so the following day). The palate is medium-bodied with a very smooth and silky texture. Tart red cherries and crushed strawberry on the entry, modest depth, cashmere in texture and more sumptuous than previous iterations, unsurprising given the style of the 2018 vintage. Even if the 2018 Célébration does not quite “kick on” towards the finish, it is still utterly delicious. 92/Drink 2022-2040.