Tasted in Lantignié with Jean-Marc & Annick Lafont, 05 February 2020.
Domaine de Bel Air
69430 Lantignié
Tel: +33 4 74 04 82 08
www.dombelair.com
More reports for Domaine de Bel Air
Jean-Marc, last year, on 2019:
“19 was a good vintage, not as concentrated as 2018, but a pure vintage that still has a nice concentration – certainly quite a heterogenous vintage. Some appellations had a little frost, not too much here at the domaine, but a few places at the bottom of the hills – I think we were lucky in Moulin à Vent that we pruned quite late – we still lost a third, but our neighbours lost 2/3rds. ”
Jean-Marc and Annick on 2018:
“2014 was the last correct volume vintage here – so 2018 was appreciated, particularly after the hail in various places in 2017! Complicated fermentations though – lots of attention required – ripe vintages always need more attention – except that in 2017 they didn’t! Probably the higher acidity helped there, but I always look to keep as much acidity as I can.”
The wines…
Fine quality, as usual, at this domaine – I think their Beaujoais Villages an absolute steal!
The vines are on a vein of bluestone which is the same vein as in Brouilly. South-facing vines in Belair with about 20% from an opposing hill. about 5 hectares worth of mainly older vines – around 50-years-old…
Hmm – wide, faintly cushioned, classic Beaujolais fruit, slowly adding a more acid-cherry style. Mouth-filling, nicely layered, excellent fruit, nicely textured. Shrinking into a long mineral line in the finish. Very long. €7.50 – bravo for that!
2018 Brouilly Briante
Bottled 3 weeks – a year where bottling was largely done as normal in terms of timing.
Good colour but not too deep. A little more compact aroma but again with an attractive, slightly acid cherry. A little more attack, full, more concentrated more definition. Wide with good energy the minerality slowly growing in the finish. A finish that delivers with small ripples of flavour. That’s excellent.
2018 Fleurie Granits Rose
Here on pink granite – the highest vines of the domaine at 387m so a parcel with some altitude.
A more modest colour. High-tones, slightly pyrazine minerality, aeration brings this more in the direction of florals and it gets better and better in the glass. Lovely texture, extra mineral, almost earthy – saline too. Complex and really rather interesting in the finish. I like the finish very much…
2018 Morgon Charmes
‘A really good terroir the closest to here in Morgon.’
A little more colour. Much deeper nose, fruit that’s darker-red, but again the acid-cherry style of most of the others. Wide, extra dimensions of flavour – a nicely structured wine too. There’s some concentration/richness of flavour. The finish wide, slightly saline, certainly darkly mineral. Good length. That’s a lovely wine.
2018 Moulin à Vent Les Burdelines
‘Our cuvée classique, we have one other (Granit et Manganese) still in wood.’ Bottling tomorrow but filtered today.
Direct and impressive acid-cherry nose. Nice in the mouth, a little structural too – the flavour a bit disassociated after filtering. The finish is excellent though – wide, long and persistent. This will be super – probably excellent!