Tasted in Odénas with Julien Duport, 29 March 2023.
Domaine Julien Duport
Hameau Brouilly
69460 Odénas
Tel: +33 6 81 83 10 21
More reports with Julien Duport
I really liked the wines of Julien when I previously visited but inexplicably I lost him from my list of domaines that I’d like to visit – each year remembering only at a time where I couldn’t make a reminder note – but this year I remembered! Julien has reduced the surface here since my last visit – he’s now farming, with his horse, 7.5 hectares.
Julien on 2021:
“2021 was tough – all the high part of the hills opposite the domaine were frosted – the top of Mont Brouilly near the Geo-Parc, too. It was half a harvest here. We had a lot of pressure from disease and choosing the right date to harvest was difficult. I waited until I was happy with the phenolics – but really it was about a feeling! Not all is sold as not all is yet bottled!”
Julien on 2022:
“For the 2022s I’m happy – it was only a bit more 35 hl/ha but in this case I’m happy with the volume – we are organic and I would say maybe one less pass with the tractor but generally it was a ‘normal’ vintage in the vines. Degrees lower than in 2020 but the fermentations were difficult – often stopping – I have no added yeasts but friends who decided to add cultured yeast didn’t faire any better. We had nice fruit straight away – freshness and fine tannins – it’s a vintage that reminds me of 2010.”
The wines…
I’m sorry to have missed Julien for the last few years – but what a great range of 2021s!
2021 Beaujolais Villages Blanc
Chardonnay on granite – vines that are not yet 10 years old. 9-10 months of elevage. Actually, with 5% of melon de Bourgogne in this!
Round, almost faintly creamy – there’s width and a supple style. There’s structure but no overt harshness or rigour here – good intensity but there’s also depth to these flavours too. I’d wait 12 months to soften a little further – but this is very good.
On the hill of Saburin – the high part so it was a very small harvest in 21
Plenty of colour. Fresh and energetic – perfumed and really attractive. Grear shape in the mouth – there’s structure and a fine grain of tannin – fluid and complex finish – a great Brouilly! Long and graphitic!
Bottom of Saburin – 0.6 ha – granitic and volcanic rock here – two parcels average 65 year-old vines. A mix of tank and foudre elevage
A wider aromatic – fresh and alive once more – nicely perfumed. A more saline wine, slightly cushioned – this is a beauty. Extra finishing intensity, indeed a finish you can chew for an age – another really top 21…
2021 Côte de Brouilly Lieu-dit Brouilly
Blue rock. Lieu dit Brouilly but there may be a name-change in the works here as the INAO don’t allow ‘CdB Brouilly…’
Plenty of colour in all these wines. A much deeper aromatic – dark fruit, cushioned, complex and pure. Depth of flavour – concentration, a framework of fine-grained tannin and a slight roundness from the elevage – yes a newer foudre. Long and super impressive.
These 135 year-old vines have no maladies and manage to deliver 35 hl/ha without trouble. Left side of the hill, high up plain west-facing. Always a good maturity indeed early ripening. Not yet bottled – normally 18 months of elevage – ‘I think extra elevage doesn’t bring so much in warmer vintages – 12-14 months is enough. All barrel elevage for this – 228s with 3-8 years of age.
A concentrated but still vivid nose – the barrel not visible. Cool, direct, mobile flavour – such concentration. The previous wines are great for the vintage – this is simply a great Beaujolais. Bravo! I wouldn’t hesitate leaving this in the cellar for a few years.
And a 2022 already bottled:
Extra airy notes – still with impact. More direct and cool narrower – a little – the tannin finer and the perfumed flavour melting over the palate. Simply a great wine – maybe it will only be excellent in the context of 2022 – but that’s for in another year!
And for the road:
2020 Côte de Brouilly Bruhlié
But in theory not allowed to use this name, this is the La Sueur au Font
What colour! Saline higher tones – perhaps a little alcohol but there’s fine, silken fruit behind. Hmm – juicy wine – the tannin present, slightly drying but without a grain. Super-juicy dark fruit the width narrowing quite quickly in the finish then holding long, long, long. Too easy to drink for 14.5°!