Tasted with Frédéric Berne, with the sun in his eyes, in Lantignié, 24 February 2022.
Domaine Frédéric Berne
150 Chemin des Vergers
69430 Lantignié
Tel: +33 6 83 46 05 06
fredericberne.com
More reports with Domaine Frédéric Berne
Frédéric on 2021:
“It wasn’t my worst, that was 2017 when I was hailed nearly 90%, but 2021 was a lot of work to keep on top of the weeds. I did a big green harvest – when I had 30% veraison – I took away all the bunches that were 100% green at that stage. I made 22 hl/ha despite the green harvest – and remember I don’t usually do more than 30… There are magic vintages – like 2018 – where you could make great wine with more than 50 hl/ha – but you are playing poker if you try to do that every year…”
Frédéric on 2020:
“I like them, I like their energy. I did 30 hl/ha – which is my average – though 33-35 might be nice in 2022! I did only 24 hl/ha in 2019 though…”
The wines…
This address is still the benchmark for Beaujolais-Lantignié – bravo!
2020 Beaujolais Villages Lantignié Granit Rose
Bottled in June
Silky, concentrated dark fruit – not fully open. Super in the mouth – open, faintly grained by the tannin, but here are fine waves of balanced flavour that wash over the palate finishing with extra clarity and a little minerality too. It needs the nose to open a little more but when it does, this will be excellent.
2020 Beaujolais Villages Lantignié Pierre Bleu
Slightly less colour. The nose also quite tight but less overtly concentrated than the last – almost airy. More direct, cooler fruit, open and very mouth-watering – almost juicy. I like the structure and energy of this – that’s really excellent and still has the potential to improve as the aromas start to show more. The finish is deliciously juicy – it’s great there!
This on the bluestone next to the chateau des Vergers. 12 months elevage in barrel – essentially 228s right now but have some 500-litre barrels for higher wines which will probably trickle down to these wines too – ‘but I’m only buying 1 or 2 per year!’
Ooh – now this nose is open – energetic and just so inviting – yes! Nice impact – a width of flavour – some grain of tannin but not much dryness. Also quite a juicy wine but vibrant and delicious – almost a stony intensity in the finish. Practically a great wine and the barrel is not visible!
2020 Regnié Aux Bruyères
Second vintage. A small layer of alluvial soil and then rose granite.
A bigger nose, deeper, more spiced dark fruit. Wide, and coupled with freshness – there’s plenty of minerality in this sleekly textured wine. A suggestion of barrel – but really super finishing an almost acidulated dark fruit. Excellent again!
‘I think the barrels add a little shoulder to the wines that can be lacking on the granite’
Airy dark fruit but there’s clearly plenty waiting below too. Oh yes – the fluidity I love, clarity of flavour – not just that but depth too. Properly structured but not oppressive. Simply a great wine!
2020 Morgon Corcelettes
Fresh, forward, graphite minerality and dark fruit – that’s a fine invitation. Also a wine of sweeping flavour and fine texture – wider rather than direct, the tannin slightly more visible but hardly any dryness. Super depth to this flavour. Mouth-watering and engrossing. Excellent wine – maybe the chance to improve on that too – wait 12 months for the baby tannin to fade a little.
The blend of granite rose and pierre bleu – elevage for 12 months mixed.
A narrower nose but with very impressive depth – slowly opening and adding a layer of super-attractive floral perfume. Oh yes – a combination of the last two wines – it’s wider again but with the finer texture and fluidity of the Chiroubles. Waves of fine flavour – a cascade of flavour. Faintly creamy from the barrel in the finish. A great wine – wait as long as you like – but I’d be happy to start opening these already in 12 months… 14.5° but you can’t see it – most here are 13-13.5° in 2020…