My Latest in Wine Business Monthly:
Maison Louis Jadot’s First Oregon Venture Resonates in Carlton
by L.M. Archer
Résonance Vineyard view. © LM Archer.
Carlton, Ore.—Sometimes a place just hits the right cord. For Maison Louis Jadot, that place is Résonance in Oregon’s Yamhill-Carlton AVA.
Founded in 1859, Maison Louis Jadot purchased their first vineyard, Clos des Ursules, in 1826. A long history of prudent acquisitions and uncompromising standards helped burnish the Burgundy wine house’s venerable reputation over the years. Seeking opportunities in the new world, the forward-thinking domaine settled upon Oregon’s Willamette Valley in 2013.
“Résonance is key for Maison Louis Jadot,” said Thibault Gagey, head of operations, whose own family links with Jadot trace back to 1954. “It is our first and only adventure outside Burgundy. It is not at all something we are doing “for fun” (even if we love it every day), but it is a serious and long-term project.”
Crush at First Site
Jacques Lardière, Jadot’s legendary winemaker, plays a pivotal part in the success of Résonance. “Imagine the knowledge and experience of Jacques after 42 vintages as winemaker at Louis Jadot, and leading the winemaking at Résonance from 2013!” said Résonance ‘resident’ winemaker Guillaume Large, who lives on site. “When Jacques visited Résonance Vineyard the first time (in 2013) with Thibault Gagey,” Large said, “They told me that this location has an energy. And I can really feel it when I walk in the vineyard.”
Certified organic and dry-farmed, Résonance vineyard sits atop ancient, ultra-fine, marine basalt sedimentary soils. Planted in 1981 by original owners Carla and Kevin Chambers, the 20-acre site slopes southward at elevations ranging between 262 and 492 feet. Cultivars include Pommard, Dijon 777, and Wädenswil Pinot Noir. Sheltered by the nearby Oregon Coast Range, the location enjoys a “rain shadow” effect that blocks rain clouds coming from the Pacific ocean. This proves especially beneficial to delicate Pinot Noir grapes prior to harvest. “When Jacques Lardière and myself visited Résonance Vineyard for the first time, we had a crush for the place at first sight,” Gagey said. “I strongly believe in having a good feeling with a place; usually we are not mistaken.” READ MORE HERE.
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