Tasted with Eric Janin in Romanèche-Thorins, 07 February 2020.
Domaine Paul Janin & Fils
La Chanilière
71570 Romanèche-Thorins
Tel: +33 3 85 35 52 80
www.domaine-paul-janin.fr
More reports for Domaine Paul Janin
Eric on 2019:
“Another small vintage – it was the frost to blame – 16-17 hl/Ha about 25% of a normal vintage. It was hot, the vines suffered in the summer, but the rendement was virtually set before. There’s a nicely coherent line of flavour in the frosted areas, but you won’t have the same material in those wines. The vines needed water after the whole year pretty dry – no rain in May-June but from 10 August perhaps a little too much.”
Eric on 2018:
“A different scenario! The growth started quite early, we had plenty of rain too, prompting a little mildew in the first part of the growing season – but after it was dry and luminous – the vines matured their grapes very well. About 40 hl/ha – which is about the maximum I can achieve with my older vines. The white came in at about 55 hl/ha.”
The wines…
I slightly preferred Eric’s 2017 Brouilly to the 2018 version, but the rest are really fantastic – 2018 a great vintage here that’s unfortunately bookended by two much smaller vintages. I asked him if he was happy with his wines in 2018 – “Yes I’m really happy.” – me too!
Relativly early bottlings this vintage, starting in May. The Vignes du Tremblay was done in August as a first bottling but there remains some in tank that will wait for April:
2018 Beaujolais Villages Blanc Argiles
Vines planted in 2006, in a clay soil in Romanèche-Thorins
A nose of faint sweetness and a little more minerality. Mouth-filling but with line and freshness – only 25% of malo done here. Widening in the finish – that’s rather excellent here – a little floral, a lot mineral and barely any rigour. Excellent blanc.
‘2/3 from Lancié from domaine vines sediments with granite included – a really early-ripening area, plus 1/3 from near Le Perréon which brings a fine balance.’
A silky depth of red cherry aroma – modestly cushioned. A wine of mouth-filling volume but without overt weight – ripe fruit for sure but with energy and no excessive sweetness. The finish is mobile and changing – it’s very lovely indeed – love this finish. A great BJV
2018 Brouilly Terroirs d’Odenas
The second vintage. Late ripening parcels on the granitic part of Pierreux – 11 September harvest – 10 days later than the domaine’s MaV.
A deep nose, tighter above but full of graphite minerality. Silky, growing in muscle below. Wide, the flavour becoming more insistent. Long, refined but insistent. That’s excellent wine – really lovely.
2018 Chénas Les Blémonts
Second vintage also for this wine, from the climat of Blémont – ‘quite a structured area.’ First harvested vines of 2018 – September 1st – plain-south-facing vines. ‘There’s not much acidity, it’s the whole clusters that have given it the energy.’ I thought that maybe I’d picked 2 days later than I should in 2017 – I was more vigilant in 2018!’
More colour. Also not the biggest nose, but showing a little more than the Brouilly – a cushioned depth of aroma – elegantly wide too. A little more vibrant energy here – the structure is more visible too – the flavours framed with a little tannic drag to the texture – but no grain. More directly mineral finishing – a certain graphite style of finish – very long of line. Excellent again.
2018 Moulin à Vent Les Vignes Tremblay
The August bottling.
Plenty of colour. A relatively compact but deep nose. More mouth-filling. If anything, a little more energy than the Chénas. Lovely in the mouth – the flavours washing over the palate, becoming more and more interesting as you head to the finish. Despite its energy there’s a contemplative nature to the flavours in the second half of the wine. The finish holds strong and attractive. Really excellent wine, with an engrossing presence in the second half of the wine.
“I love to work with assembling wines, there are so many changes you can make or bring to the wines…”
The name of the type of granite, this an assembly of grapes from 4 parcels – for the first time – of vines on a pure granite base.
Again a nose that’s a little compact today – just before I pour the rest away there’s a lovely fine floral note too. Such an elegance of texture but behind is also structure – open yet amply mouth-watering. Vibrant in the mid to finishing flavours, and so persistent too. Gorgeously textured, brilliantly shaped and long, long – bravo!
The range of different geologies of the domaine, rather than just the oldest vines of the domaine. Still, these are old vines – the oldest over 100 years old – bought by Eric’s grand-mother in 1937 – the climat is Clos du Tremblay.
The nose is modest to start, perhaps just a little more cushioned depth is visible. Fine shape – more clarity in this mouth-filling flavour – volume but not overt impact – airy, ethereal, but not suggesting a lack of anything. The tannin is perhaps more serious here, but it’s also more hidden, more encapsulated by the rest of the wine. Extra finishing flavour intensity, even a little salinity here – be patient – but here is a great wine in the making.
