Tasted in Romanèche-Thorins with Franck Dubeouf & Emeric Gaucher, 20 February 2023.
Vins Georges Duboeuf
208 rue de Lancié
71570 Romanèche-Thorins
Tel: +33 3 85 35 34 20
www.duboeuf.com
More reports with Maison Georges Duboeuf
Franck on 2022:
“Lower volume this year due to the dryness – which was completely opposite to 2021 where it rained nearly every second day!”
Franck on 2021:
“2021 was historically difficult – the volume is low like 2003 – though we have less surface area planted than in 2003! It was the frost and some maladies during an early season of rain – we had hoped for better – there was even some hail then a later harvest too – but the end of the season was good allowing good ripening – timing for the harvest was essential though. South of Beaujolais was a little later for the growth cycle and they did better than the average. The wines were hard at the start, we didn’t enjoy them much, but they grew with time – some slower than others – so not all are bottled yet. It was a year not to extract too much and to do more destemming – that way avoiding herbaceousness. Most are bottled, in fact, we have already bottled a few 22s! We’re working much more with the origin of the wines, their terroirs – less easy in 2021.”
The wines…
Few stars but an average quality that was high – no duds either – only one wine with a suggestion of green notes – bravo for that! There are some first-class wines in this selection.
They have moved to DIAM for the whites “as the variation was much higher than for the reds – we can tolerate the reds but it’s too much for the whites.” In terms of the cuvées that we look at, the Fleur labels are the ‘traditional’ blended wines of Duboeuf. The ‘Signature’ label is for the more limited cuvées ‘plus the wines we like the most while tasting.‘ Then there are the domaines and châteaus too:
2021 Beaujolas – Fleur
A lovely, attractive freshness of pure red Beaujolais fruit – yes. Direct with energy and a nice drive – don’t come here for concentration but there’s some silky and delicious energy – simply lovely.
A little darker colour and a little darker fruit aroma to match. Here is more intensity and structure – but to juicy effect – again easy but just so super-charming – that’s a great wine for the label.
2021 Beaujolais Villages Vin sans soufres ajoutées
More depth to this nose, nicely textural too. A little CO2 here. Fuller seemingly with darker fruit. But this is silky and very attractive – zero faults and quite delicious.
Redder, deep a little narrower – but very lovely nose – more perfumed. Mouth-filling. There’s lots of fresh energy here – a hint of finishing bitters too. There are waves of finishing flavour here. I’d keep this 12-18 months to soften the structure but the aromas are top-level – cru-like. Bravo!
The most complex nose yet – still with energy but also here with a little graphite minerality in the mix. A texture of velour, the tannin framing the flavours – this clearly a more serious wine – but the structure and shape are top – keep 18-24 months before returning. Potentially a great 21 Brouilly. ‘Less consensual than the previous wine’
2021 Chiroubles – Fleur
Extra colour – extra depth to these aromas too. The concentration and matching energy are certainly on a higher level – as they should be. Rounder but never soft and with a fine middle and finishing intensity – really very good.
2021 Domaine des Petites Violettes, Chiroubles
A father and son production team making wines ‘with a traditional approach.’
A slightly smoky extra depth to this nose. A little more overt structure here, less fine clarity of fruit but here is mid-palate concentration with very good energy. Structural, maybe a hint less sophisticated than the ‘Fleur’ but flavour-packed and energetic.
2021 Brouilly – Fleur
Cleaner, more pure, nicely open. Super texture with a growing intensity and concentration without fat. Vibrant finishing – that’s a really very tasty wine.
2021 Réginié – Fleur
A nose that’s both deep and broad – more subdued in the higher tones. A different shape – but mouthwatering and a little structural – in a positive sense. Lovely wine.
2021 Fleurie – Fleur
Extra breadth to this red fruit and even a little pepper spice before the florals start to arrive – that’s lovely. Extra impact- mouth—filling wine – there’s good structure here too. Broad finishing, red fruit – with its seeds – that’s complex and simply excellent.
A less talkative nose but growing in the glass to offer the largest bouquet of flowers so far. Also the most delicious and energetic wine too – clean, pure, energetic – fluid. Bravo – juicy too!
2021 Fleurie Roilette
Soft red fruit – more direct. Large scale in the mouth – lots of wine – quite silky wine too. More muscular and finishing with a frame of faintly drying tannin – keep this whilst enjoying the Moriers for the next couple of years.
2021 Chiroubles – Fleur
Here’s a punch – a broad and open nose – a little attractive floral too. Direct but this also has great width – a little less sweet than the Fleuries but with intensity. Finishing impressively juicy. I love this wine.
2021 St.Amour – Fleur
Extra depth and darker fruit too – clean – just missing some extra perfume to start. Full, a little roundness, a frame of modest grain – there’s an extra depth to this flavour – something extra in the finish too despite not yet quite being ready – maybe because it’s a recent bottling. All the same, it’s very impressive.
2021 Juliénas – Fleur
Perhaps a little gentian – the first – but this is attractive and I wouldn’t really say pyrazine at this level. The structure, shape and tannin are a little more present too. This is a structural wine that I’d wait 2-3 years before drinking a faint dryness if not grain from the tannin – but the finishing energy is delicious – indeed that’s a super finish!
2021 Juliénas Château des Capitains
The creamy oak elevage is quite obvious in these aromas. In the mouth, there’s plenty of wine, rounded at the edges, with a modest tannin – a little white mushroom too. But the finish is lovely red fruit with a little cushion.
2021 Morgon – Fleur
This nose offers higher tones and a little more directness. Clean, beautifully shaped wine – direct wine. A little tannin today – but it’s Morgon! Great finishing – ‘we waited for these parcels.‘ Super wine!
2021 Morgon Côte du Py
A slightly more vertical nose but how attractive are these high and low tones! Mouth-filling, properly structured – not austere – but structured! Proper Côte du Py – and you can wait as long as you like. Finishing drier – chalky – but I’d drink this with pleasure today – it’s excellent!
2021 Morgon Corcelette
The first of this tasting that’s not yet bottled – it will be done in 2 weeks
An open but not large nose – faintly, attractively, floral. Some gas today. More layered concentration. Extra depth to this flavour today, all framed by the finest grain of tannin. This will be excellent – maybe better – but it’s certainly a nose short of great today.
2021 Moulin à Vent – Fleur
Not the largest nose but this is open, complex, and a little floral-perfumed. This has that fluidity that I covet – not overtly concentrated – maybe a hint of creamy barrel in the flavour – yes. Holding a fine length. Simply a delicious, excellent wine!
2021 Moulin à Vent – Signature
A nose with extra depth – but also lots of freshness – impressive! Fine mouth-filling shape – super texture, fine width. A hint of extra depth in the middle flavours – and no oak showing here. I think better than the last but I’d wait a year or two for it to open more!
2021 Moulin à Vent Champ de Cour
Not yet bottled
More width and more aromatic concentration too – complex – though clearly not yet fully open. Plenty of gas today. Hmm, energetic, the gas accentuating the structure some. But wonderfully intense finishing flavour – that’s a properly great finish. So much potential here!
2021 Moulin à Vent Fût de Chêne
100% barrel elevage – all new – not yet bottled
Tons of colour. Lots of scale to this oaky nose. I like the shape in the mouth, becoming more direct. A wine too far for me today; This layered flavour has too many layers of barrel today – for me – I hardly find the gamay, so the village doesn’t come into the discussion…
Airy – a nose of decent freshness too – becoming modestly floral – nice. Hmm, that’s also very nice over the palate – fresh, with energy – supple but never with flavours that have too much rigour or harshness. That’s a great BJB!