Beaufort's Jardinot has entered the zone.
We've tasted Beaufort's 2018 Jardinot many times and have enjoyed it each time.
Looking at the sales history, it's clear that we're not alone. Bottles have been steadily disappearing for the past year. It's rare for a relatively unknown grower that's not inexpensive to have this sort of traction. The wine is that compelling.
With that said, the 2018 Jardinot has recently blown us away in an utterly jaw-dropping fashion. This is Amaury Beaufort's first release from this site and we didn't have a good sense of how it would evolve. It turned out to be completely brilliant.
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Amaury's family's domain is Champagne André Beaufort, which is one of Champagne’s first organic domaines. Jacques Beaufort (Amaury's father) converted to organics in 1970. In 2018 Amaury broke away from his family's domaine and started working with the 0.88ha Jardinot parcel. Jardinot was planted by Amaury's father in 1972 and has never been treated with chemicals.
Amaury farms the old vines composed mostly of Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian limestone with a little Chardonnay planted on Portlandian limestone - soils that the area shares with Chablis.
He works completely naturally fermenting with native yeasts along with MCR (concentrated grape must) for secondary fermentation in bottle. No sulphur is used at disgorgement and there's no dosage. Beaufort's wines undergo an unusually long elevage for the region - twenty-three months in foudre.
All of this results in a captivating complexity and an utterly stand-alone expression of Champagne. The 2018 is powerful while still being incisive. There are rounded, gently oxidative notes that share some kinship with Selosse along with a tightly coiled saline minerality. The complete package is very impressive.
In our tastings, the 2018 Champagnes have been consistently great. The neat summary of the vintage is that it's a riper and very clear year where Pinot Noir thrived.
Ever since I tasted this recently, I've been planning an offer. This is a wine that demands the spotlight. It's absolutely stunning.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare
Crush Wine & Spirits
