Tasted in Blacé with twins Bernard and Jacky Monternot, 11 February 2020.
Domaine Monternot – Les Jumeaux
Les Places 69460 Blacé
Tel: +33 4 74 67 56 48
www.domainemonternot.com
More reports for Domaine Monternot
On 2019:
“In 2019 we are sad about the volume – the white was frosted and hailed – we lost 70%. In the reds we lost an average of 50% and for the same reasons. The quality of the reds was dependent on the triage – the quality was there but you had to work for it – it was quite a severe triage I have to say, but we already have gold medals for our rosé our BJVN and the cuvée fruit et terroir – we just wish we had more of them, at least there was a little insurance!”
On 2018:
“We were full! The wines are very Beaujolais and have lots of finesse – the 19s are richer – for now anyway. The mix of weather, working in the vines and the quality of the grapes touched on perfection.”
The wines…
A top-class range from the brother in 2018 – acceptable white and rosé, simply brilliant Beaujolais Villages – to drink now or over the next 15+ years!
There are three different soils at the domaine; one that’s more sandy – where the white and rosé come from – another that’s also sandy with some clay and more stones for the VV, and the third on a more rose-granite for the Fruit et Terroir cuvée. There is no sulfur during the vinification, they say that they are using about half the dose allowed by organic certification (100mg). Demeter is 70 mg, and natural winemakers have 30-40 mg. “You anyway have 12-15 mg from the fermentation, we work at around 50-60 mg by bottling time.”
2018 Beaujolais Villages Rosé
Skin contact for a little colour – grapes pressed but only a couple of hours of contact.
Pale coloured. A vibrant nose, a little herbed, but open for business. Nice width in the mouth – certainly fresh – I like the energy here. The finish is a lovely one – easy, delicious flavour that lasts long on the palate. Excellent rosé
Average 40-70 year-old vines.
Really plenty of colour. The nose is fresh and dark, dark-fruited – almost a little peppery. Ooh – a sweetness that goes with the energy – dark but fresh and complex – that’s got a lovely line. Bravo!
This not yet bottled – probably not before the summer – it’s in tank on its fine lees. Still only 30-35 hl/ha, the vines now 100 and 95-years-old.
Also very dark coloured, and also a very dark but fine and fresh fruit – almost towards floral too. Wow – that packs a punch and such a depth of flavour – BJV du garde! Yet it’s mobile over the palate too – it’s not a wine that’s just about density, it has line. Wiry muscle but no fat. Bravo – be patient!
2018 Bourgogne Blanc
All from around the domaine.
Deep, quite a vibrant nose. Slowly mouth-filling – not too much – the wine’s obviously mineral and just a little saline too. The finishing flavours suggest a little florality. This is actually quite good, very persistent!
