Tasted in Jullié with Jérémy Bally, 16 February 2022.
Domaine du Bois du Chat – Jérémy Bally
Les Bois de Chat
69840 Jullié
Tel: +33 6 63 49 24 35
www.domaineduboisdechat.com
More reports with Domaine Les Bois du Chat
Jérémy on 2021:
“21 was complicated – we had days with a lot of rain – and a lot of days with rain! We are organic so it was hard to deal with all the weeds – then there was the frost and the black rot – so less than 20 hl/ha was the result. It was often too cold for mildew, too wet for oïdium so black rot took their place! The only positive for black rot is that it does it’s own triage – the affected grapes drop and the rest are fine. 11-11.5° is a change after the recent vintages though.”
Jérémy on 2020:
“Warmer, very clean. With a bit more volume, if still moderate though. The vintage reminds me of 2018 but a little less concentrated – quite early of course. All the bottling is done”
The wines…
From the very first time I tasted these wines – blind – I’ve been a fan. The 2020 vintage continues that long run of high quality!
2020 Juliénas Cuvée Sauvage
No added sulfur, whole clusters, carbonic, first harvested grapes of the vintage, fermentation under 20°
Fine, pure red nose. Round, easy, a nice half mineral, then a fresh wave of flavour flows over the palate. Mouth-watering, practically juicy flavour. That’s very good!
The next two are only just moving from 2018 to 2019 commercially:
2020 Juliénas
A bit more maceration for this wine but still with tank elevage. Low sulfur, not filtered.
A broader, darker-fruited nose. Supple but wide and certainly more incisive. Vibrantly flavoured with a very modest tannin in support. Again juicy, this time in a darker fruit register. A bit more sucrosity and still some fine tannin. Completely delicious wine – like every year!
2020 Moulin à Vent Coeur de Granit
Old vines from 1933 on granite and quartz, high on the hill above Chénas. Longer maceration again – this time a bit more than 20 days and elevage with 400-litre barrels for a year.
Dark fruit again but this with a more perfumed top line. A little reduction but with fine direction and energy. There’s concentration here for sure – but the flavour is easily delivered in waves and waves. A bit less juicy but that’s the concentration and slightly tannic structure that’s talking. Really a fine wine – potentially excellent!