Tasted in Villié-Morgon with Alex Foillard, 20 February 2019.
Domaine Jean Foillard
Le Clachet
69910 Villié-Morgon
Tel: +33 4 74 04 24 97
www.leclachet-foillard.com
Alex on 2018:
“2018 started with plenty of episodes of rain and wind but the vines stayed clean. We had more a climate like the Languedoc when they had the rain but no wind, probably why they got the mildew and we didn’t. We had not too many problems doing the pruning after 2017’s hail, as it was mainly the leaves and grapes that had been hit – unlike pruning we had to do in 2017 following the 2016 hail where there was much more damage to the wood. There was a good result at the end of the year though, in both quality and quantity. ”
Alex on 2017:
“I see a little of the profile of 2015 in 2017 – in the weather – but also an episode of hail too. In fact we had more rain than 2015 too. In the end we probably have more concentrated wines than in 2016 but less rich than in 2015 – of-course it depends on the parcels – 50% was lost to the hail in Corcelettes, on the Côte de Puy on one side we lost 90% on the other it was touched but we still made 30 hl/ha – it was 4 hl/ha on the other side. We’ve no Fleurie it was all hailed. With the hail in 2016 too it’s little more than a full vintage when you combine the production of 2016 and 2017 here.”
The wines…
A short tasting given the hail of 2017, and one cuvée not being ready. Nonetheless, serious wines, worth a search…
2017 Morgon Cuvée Eponym
This from Charmes – soil similar to the Corcelette but the roots are closer to the rock.
Modest colour for Beaujolais though still plenty vs its more northern neighbours. Big, wide, a nose of inviting open arms – faint mushroom amongst the red fruit. Supple, ooh, lots of concentration – bright lots of nice energy in the finish. A concentrated, but still balanced and delicious wine – excellent.
Granite here and very sandy – this brings the fruit and the flowers. ‘Not too much alcohol and a nice Beaujolais line of flavour.’
A touch more colour – maybe – the difference is small. Lots of volume, more tannin, also more energy – less obvious richness to the texture but still a concentrated wine. Layered and showing a little muscle in the finish. Great, dynamic stuff – I love!
“I’m not showing Charmes as the wine’s not yet in place as there’s some reduction.”
A deeper, fresher nose – plenty of energy here. More width, more silk to the texture, freshness that grows – almost an intensity as you roll the wine over the palate – structural, but no hard edges. Melting, delicious flavour. The Corcelettes is more upfront today, but here is even more class. Great wine.
There are 2 responses to “Jean Foillard – 2017”
Sorry but which is the cuvee which wasn’t shown? Isn’t Charmes = Eponym?
That’s a good question – I wrote exactly what Alex said, re-reading it doesn’t make much sense!
Noticed he did not show his own 2017 wines (Alex Foillard) and the new 2015 Cuvée Athanor too.