2021 Red Burgundy Part 1: 35 Côte de Beaune domaines – November 2022
2021 Red Burgundy Part 2: 41 Côte de Nuits domaines – December 2022
2021 Red Burgundy Part 3: 85 Beaujolais domaines – February 2023

Above the Col du Truges, February 2021

2021 was a throwback to many older vintages – one with many weather-related challenges – you could take your pick from frost, hail, cool, and rain – lots of rain – all of which resulted in a mid-to-late September harvest.

The aggregate of all these challenges was the lowest volume harvest for many years.

The new normal of a milder winter and early spring also manifested itself in 2021. As in the rest of Burgundy, when frost visited the vineyards of Beaujolais in early April, there was already some growth in the vineyards. The effect of the frost was more patchy than the rest of Burgundy – some higher hills were hit – but others not – some lower-lying vines were hit – but others not – the mid-slopes often surviving unscathed. As in the rest of Burgundy, the whites were often hit the worst – chardonnay starting its growth-phase earlier than the gamay – yet the average yield for whites was similar to both 2020 & 2022 – though behind those figures, year on year, the area of land producing white is slowly increasing.

Then there was the (what seemed like) interminable rain. As in the vines further north, this encouraged the ‘maladies’ of the vine – but not everywhere: Many of the crus are famed for their sandy-granitic soils, particularly on the hillsides – here they tend to drain very well – so for many vigneron(ne)s, the rain posed few problems – it simply drained away – for such domaines the maladies of the vines proved to be only modest challenges – helped by how easy it was to get into these vines to treat. Of course, these hills tend to be on higher ground so the domaines often had to contend with their frost-related losses. Many of these domaines made more in 2021 than they did in 2022 – their highly draining soils, coupled with the dryness of 2022, meant significantly less juice in the dry year that followed 2021.

Such complexities of vineyard soil types and altitudes meant a different story at every domaine – even for neighbours.

All the domaines reported good weather in August – this combined with the (on average) lower volume of grapes ensured that the grapes were ripe – certainly of lower potential alcohol than the surrounding warmer vintages – 11-12° was typical at harvest. Adding 1% more with an addition of sugar was not uncommon but also not universal – the winemakers were given a dispensation to increase up to a maximum of 2% in this vintage (1% is the normal maximum) but no-one I questioned would admit to going that high.

With lower potential alcohols and a little more remaining acidity in the grapes versus other recent vintages, the fermentations were largely easy – less easy were the decisions on how to approach the winemaking. Many winemakers were worried about herbaceous notes so were more circumspect about using the stems, or the temperatures, or duration, of their cuvaisons to minimise such possibilities – not all were successful in circumnavigating the potentially green, herbaceousness, of the vintage.

To the point: All about 2021 Beaujolais!

In 2021, the wines tend to fall into the following groups:
1. Fine, fluid wines, of depth, complexity and interest that recall some of the best of 2019 – if a little lighter – my recent favourite vintage
2. Low intervention wines, paler, under 12%, that are just (dangerously!) too easy to drink – delicious, joyous, wines
3. Structural, austere wines – ones that have me questioning if the elevage was too short – or how long I would have to wait for the wines to ‘come around’ in my cellar.
4. Green, herbaceous, wines. On a low level, I may make note of gentian aromas adding some extra complexity – at higher levels, it is simply an unpleasant pyrazine – at least for people, like me, who are sensitive. Not everyone is sensitive so your own taste is paramount.
5. Let’s not forget the whites. It’s the best vintage that I have ever tasted in Beaujolais; the rigour that I dislike is hardly present, most wines have good energy – and they are riper than the reds in 2021 – almost exotically-fruited in many cases.

I have bought selectively – certainly less than in 2019 – maybe also a little less than in 2020.

2021 is the most variable of the recent vintages; relatively stronger and more consistent in the south of Beaujolais than in the crus:

• The coolest weather for a number of vintages – the summer temperatures rarely exceeding 30°C
• There was no single yield-limiting event in 2021 – you could choose from a number of possibilities – you could choose from frost, hail or rot – or some lucky people with none of those!
• Hail hasn’t been spoken of much in relation to 2021, but there was some hail in the south – the border between Beaujolais and Beaujolais villages – and also in the north – Juliénas. There was no hail in the south of the cru or the village of Juliénas but hail began in the northern slopes – continuing northwards through Leynes and this was the same hail storm that crippled the 1er crus of Pouilly-Fuissé and parts of St.Véran.
• From the 4 wine types that I’ve outlined it’s impossible to choose a particular style to define the vintage.
• Except – that alcohol levels are lower – ‘more classic!’
• There is more pyrazine ‘complexity’ to be found in the 2021 wines – if you are sensitive, it’s important to taste beforehand but that’s no 100% safety belt – your sensitivity varies from day to day and even at different times of the day. I have at least two 2021s in my cellar that tasted great at the domain but are green when I open them at home.
• The Whites: A relative highlight. Much as I not a big fan of white Beaujolais – a little like in 2020 – these tasty wines don’t have too much rigour and are usually riper in style than the reds – sometimes with some exotic fruit – I prefer the more classic, less oaked examples but there is plenty of interest for the whites in 2021.
• Summarising: There is not much wine to go around. It’s a very complicated vintage but there are some seriously great wines in more than one style – but also a lot of wines that I wouldn’t want in my cellar. It’s not a vintage to buy blind, despite some well-known names in my list of the creme de la creme – equally some of my favourites; Bouland, Roilette, Laurent Martray and Thivin all having wines with some herbaceousness or austerity.

The creme de la creme of 2021:

In my first week of tasting, there were only two stand-out ranges of wines. Another two in my second week and then five more in my final week of this tour.

In my first week, Desvignes produced very classy wines but their Javernières was breathtaking. Château des Bachelards was so good last year that I didn’t think it could be 2 consecutive years at the same level but Alexandra de Vazeilles likes to confound expectations, though complicates matters slightly as she’s later to commercialise – so this year it was her 2020s, not 2021s – great wines all the same.

In my second week, two domaines made dreamy ‘low intervention’ wines – Thillardon and Julie Balagny – wines of energy, that were far too easy to drink – wines that gave a metaphorical hug to this drinker.

My last week brought great wines from Labruyère and Jannin in one style, Lapièrre and Julien Sunier in another style and David Béroujon in an unashamedly delicious and fruity cliché Beaujolais style. So in 2021, great wines are possible in all styles. In the order tasted:

Louis-Claude Desvignes
Château de Bachelards
Thillardon, Paul-Henri & Charles
Julie Balagny
Labruyère
Eric Janin
Julien Sunier
Lapierre, Camille & Mathieu
David Béroujon

Beaujolais in your cellar:

• 2021: A very complicated vintage but great wines in all styles can be found.
• 2020: Broad, powerful, layered wines. Seemingly not hot despite some high alcohols, already with a hint of development.
• 2019: I keep using, amongst others, the word ‘fluidity.’ Wines of purity, grace, energy and no lack of concentration – it remains the best vintage I’ve tasted on release. Some age-ralated complexity to be found already.
• 2018: Delicious right now – energetic, better concentration than 2016, less than 2017 and with fabulous fruit, complexity and balance. They will also make for old bones…
• 2017: Many are still drinking great, but this a strong cellar candidate, it is a vintage of concentrated wines.
• 2016: Energetic, open, wines of clarity and purity of fruit – where not ravaged by hail or frost – for instance it’s not a strong vintage in Moulin à Vent or Fleurie. Lots of maturing complexity to be found in the glass now.
• 2015: More open now than for many years – even magnums! Often spiced and masculine but they are building a fine complexity. The slightly rustic, spiced fruit depth and concentration emphasises that these are wines for the longer term – like 2009 and 2011.
• 2014: A vintage that is drinking very well – open, often floral – not ultra-concentrated but wines that are delicious and fulfilling – probably as mature as you like!
• 2013: I’m still waiting for this vintage. The aromas have been, for a long time, lovely, though the the flavours are often still structural – hopefully only for now…