1985 Vosne Romanee Les Brulees
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Tasting notes
Magnum. Roy was what you might call an early adopter of Jayer burgundies and is still close to the family. It was extremely generous of him to open this magnum, a wine that, for practically the first time, I could not resist pricing. Bottles are currently offered for sale in both the US and HK for well over £5,000. And of course the provenance of this magnum was beyond reproach, unlike that of some 'Jayer' wines offered at auction... In fact this magnum seemed just a tad over the hill to me – much as I appreciated the chance to taste it. There was a wonderful amalgam of allspice and mushrooms on the nose but on the palate the fruit seemed to be in retreat – even though it grew for a while in the glass. The finish was a bit dry. But what a treat! (JR)
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Jancis Robinson MW
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The Les Brulees is soft, smoky, and exceptionally concentrated, no doubt because it comes from 55-year-old vines. When asked why his wines are so consistently great, Jayer simply responds, "I make the kind of wine I like." His wines are aged in 100% new oak, are never filtered, and are bottled directly from the barrel. The excellent color and well-delineated, intense Pinot Noir fruit he gets could well come from his special "cold maceration," which involves totally destemming the grapes after picking and putting them in tanks where they stay before the fermentation starts. Modern oenologists would no doubt be horrified at such a process as the risk of oxidation is high, but never, ever have I tasted a volatile or oxidized bottle of wine from Jayer. As he says, to make great wine, one must assume certain risks. Jayer feels his finest vintages are 1978, 1985, 1980, and 1986. The 1985s are all quite profound, deeply colored, and packed with fruit. They should last and improve until at least 1997-2003. They are more tannic than many other 1985s.
About the producer
The wines of Henri Jayer (1922-2006) have mythical status in Burgundy. Coveted by many but tasted by just a precious few, they are some of the region’s rarest and most desirable – considered by some to be the pinnacle of what can be achieved with Pinot Noir.