Tasted with Gilles in Chiroubles, 28 February 2023.
Domaine C G Paris
Les Genets
69115 Chiroubles
Tel: +33 6 87 56 91 48
More reports with Domaine Gilles Paris
Gilles on 2022 & 2021:
“I managed 30 hl/ha in 22 – which is good for here vs not good for here 13 hl/ha in 2021. Yes this was a frost zone in 2021 and then with all the rain the maladies followed; mildew, some black rot – also in the lower parts of Fleurie. I wasn’t able to make all my usual cuvées – and those that could make are very small volumes. The maturities were 11.5-12° – for the sugars. I’m already thinking of making a small volume bottling of 2022s as my 2020s are almost sold out – and there’s not much 21 to replace them!”
The wines…
Sometimes wines of hedonistic quality – I used the word ‘joy’ more than once to describe these wines. Like the man, wines of character! Whilst there’s no consistent style to these wines – and why should there be, they all come from different places – they are consistently delicious – but it was so easy for me to choose the Regnié and the Fleurie Grand Pré as two great wines!
We taste the wines of Gilles, his brother and of Catherine & Michel Rebreyand that he makes for them:
2021 Jerome Paris, Beaujolais Villages Héritage
‘Vines of our parents in Qinciè – 400m of altitude.’ Jerome made a bit more volume than Gilles in 2021
A good width of red fruited freshness. Juicy, nice attack, growing in mouth-watering joy – that’s a super wine – I love.
Vines that came from the founder of Terravitis
Aromas with a slightly more herbed freshness – more complex too. Another wine of juicy attack and energy – a slight suggestion of tannin and a more open shape. The real distinction between these two wines is the depth and concentration of the finishing flavours. You could wait more for this – but it’s a great wine!
2021 CG (Gilles) Paris, Fleurie Parcellaire
This is from lieu-dit Champagne
More modest colour. A completely different style – a much higher-toned, airy nose. Ultra direct, and mineral – I’d like a bit more fruit in this but the wine is energetically growing in the mouth, accented with creamy oak. Juicy and delicious but I’m not sure that I’d guess Fleurie!
More colour. A broader and more generous width of aroma. Incisive, silky, then a hint of tannin. Yet another juicy wine that insists that you swallow and take another shot. A wine of joy – bravo!
2021 CG (Gilles) Paris, Chiroubles Les Genets
An airy nose – also perfumed with flowers – starting a little narrower than the Grand Pré in the bass-notes. A wine with a little more calm – a suggestion of barrel – but in a sometimes it’s there, sometimes it’s not, style. More supple – no less delicious, only the energy is a hint calmer. Long, long, fading. Simply excellent wine.
2021 Fleurie Les Clos, Catherine and Michel Rebreyand
Fresh, direct and oh so pure fruited. This 2021 will be labelled AB
Red, with a faint but attractive balsamic impression in this complexity. Extra depth and concentration – still mineral and pure – a generosity to this flavour – only a suggestion of the barrel today. Finishing long – just a little less juicy as there’s a chalky tannin in the finish – Simply an excellent wine – showing some extra generosity.