Tasted with Guillaume Joncy in Quincié, 24 February 2022.
Domaine Joncy
249 route du Chavagnon
69430 Quincié-en-Beaujolais
Tel: +33 4 74 04 33 29
www.domaine-joncy.com
A 30-hectare domaine with views towards Mont Brouilly, one that can also trace its roots in the area back to 1619. 25 hectares are in production, all organic with more planting in the planning for the remaining hectares. Guillaume started with 12 ha from his father, half of which he tended for the coop and half for domaine bottling. He took on the remaining family vines and land in 2008.
Guillaume also had the chance to buy some neighbouring land too, of which part is also in conversion to organic. Guillaume’s father made just Beaujolais Villages but is now working some land in the crus too. The domaine’s main market is France but Guillaume is looking to expand his exports to balance the sales – “20 years ago it was zero, now it’s 7 or 8 different countries…”
Guillaume prefers parcel vinifications, delestage, some pigeage – but no remontage. He uses no added yeasts nor, usually, additions of sulfur during the vinifications and maybe yes/maybe no before the bottling – “It depends on the analysis.”
Guillaume on his recent vintages:
“In 2021 the quality is surprisingly good – not the structure of 2020 but there’s an attractive fruit. We don’t have the quantity of 2018 but I think my wines resemble the lighter style of that vintage. Whereas, 2020 delivered a good volume of around 45 hl/ha – similar to 2021. I find that, having ploughed my soils for a long time, the volumes are much more stable than they were before – the vines need less rain and suffer less from the drought.”
The wines…
My first visit – a slightly sauvage style to these wines – but they have a certain something about them – the two older wines that we finished with were in great and stable shape too.
All bottled in August and just starting the commercialisation of these 2020s now – 2020 is the first vintage with the wines organic certified ‘AB’:
2020 Chiroubles
A single parcel in Le Pont
A fresh nose – open, slightly melon-freshness. Wide, mouth-watering – slowly moving over the palate. Growing in intensity – an earthy style not showcasing so much of the fruit – more the minerals.
2020 Regnié
Hmm – that’s a more direct, pure and attractive aromatic fruit – lovely. Fine, direct, silky texture. Growing in intensity again – I like this more – it’s a good wine and quite juicy.
2020 Beaujolais-Qunicié
The vines around the house, planted on a vein of quartz and south-facing
A return to the more melon-style aroma – airy and open. Wider over the palate and with a fluid style and fine texture. The flavours a little more towards the earthy again.
2020 Morgon Corcelette
This the only cuvée not certified AB – but it will be next year – there is another that is certified.
The similar, pure, fresh almost melon-style nose. Fine presence and a good attack. Freshness and plenty of fruit for this wine. Just a little extra Morgon-style austerity with a little tannin but not too much. The tastiest of all these wines so far. Good.
2020 Côte de Brouilly Chavannes
‘This is my grand cru and the wine that I’ve been vinifying for the longest – from my wife’s family.’
The family nose of purity but neither red nor darker fruit. Also broad over the palate, faintly tannic but there’s no grain to the tannin here. Intense, juicy wine – there’s plenty of concentration. The finish is quite good too. Another good wine.
And for the road?
2017 Côte de Brouilly
Birth year of one of their children.
Hmm, that’s quite attractive – some darker fruit is visible and also a first touch of some aromatic development. Fresh, super attack, layers of flavour here and still plenty of tannic structure too. I’d still wait a year or two for this but it’s a good wine.
2015 Cote de Brouilly
The birth year of their other son!
Hmm – that’s even more attractive and showing even more faintly smoky development – but in fine style. This has also great depth and a slightly more herbal complexity – really a large and tannic mouthful of wine that will exercise your patience. A good wine, and not yet showing any marsala-style oxidation/development. Good flavour and like all these with a certain finishing juiciness.