Given the precedent of a group of quality-minded producers in Beaujolais’ Lantignié – whereby they are differentiating themselves from Beaujolais-Villages by using the Lantignié name on their labels and making wine worth a few extra Euros per bottle versus the average – the same is now afoot in the Pierres Dorées. Actually, the seeds of this approach in the Pierres Dorées have been around for the best part of 15 years but only now is the extra visibility more evident.
The territory of the Pierres Dorées (the golden stones) sits in the south of the Beaujolais region; wines from here are at the base of the local classification – Beaujolais – as opposed to the Beaujolais Villages of Lantignié. From nearly 4,000 hectares of AOC Beaujolais, the Pierres Dorées area covers approximately 1,500 of those hectares but extra precisions to demarcate the ‘region’ are being undertaken by the INAO. Currently, the Pierres Dorées is (judged to be) between Rivolet in the west, the Saône river to the east, L’Arbresle in the south and Saint-Julien to the north – an area encompassing around 45 communes and altitudes between 170 and 600m.
You tend to know when you are in, or close to, the Pierres Dorées – the golden hue of the limestone used to build the houses is self-evident. Limestone and clay often geologically outnumbers the amount of granite in this part of Beaujolais so is usually the reasoning used to justify planting chardonnay and, more recently, pinot noir to complement the gamay. Today there are at least 70 different producers who are starting to label their wines as Pierres Dorées – and for whites, rosés and reds made from chardonnay and gamay. There’s an organising ‘commission’ for the promotion of the Pierres Dorées – 12 people but restaurants and cavistes are also part of the project – together with tastings ‘to agree the confirmation’ of the Pierres Dorées label ‘to avoid bad surprises!’ Additionally, and unsurprisingly, there’s some study of their soils and a push to have lower yields for the Pierres Dorées label.
I decided to take a look at the wines behind this label – blind.
The wines…
Summarising:
Whilst acknowledging that we are tasting Beaujolais, rather than Beaujolais Villages as would be the case for Beaujolais-Lantignié, it’s clear to see that the wines with this label fall short of those from Lantignié and few would be worth a special search on your part – though in fairness the pricing here is between €7.50 and €10 ex-cellars – and that said, there are many very delicious wines here that are very advantageously priced and some are true ‘bravo’ wines, as you will discover. Of course, that’s for the reds!The connection with white wine and the clay and limestone of the Pierres Dorées remains, to my impression, largely an aspirational target for the winemakers in this region: Expressing the freshness of fruit – perfume even – whilst avoiding the twin evils of too much structural rigour or too much oak make finding great wines a considerable task. It doesn’t help when some are far too fizzy! I did find some good basic wines but, more often than not, I would not be finishing a glass of many of the whites that I tasted here – unfortunately…
All wines tasted, blind, in Villefranche-sur-Saône on the 19th of May 2022:
Starting with two 2021s:
2021 Domaine Romy
A high-toned start, insistent berries here. Mouth-filling, lots of energy and a faint coating of grainless tannin. Wide, clean, very modestly astringent finishing flavour – but overall lip-smacking juiciness to this off-ripe wine. It’s good!
2021 Vignerons des Pierres Dorées, Huppe Faciée
A nose showing more depth though less clarity. Large in the mouth with lots of energy again – here a more classic vibration of Beaujolais-style energy – more cliché Beaujolais style – but that’s no negative. I’d like to see more from the nose but this has an excellent style.
The 2020s:
Five great wines – worth a special search.
2020 Famille K, Le Père
Broad, spiced, maybe an attractive (today) hint of brett in the first few sniffs but then it’s gone. Structurally impressive in the mouth – I like this style – there’s plenty to wait for too – and if that wasn’t brett, this will be a fine wine for the cellar too – the finish is delicious and pure – great in parts.
2020 EARL du Charverron, Vielles-Vignes
Ooh – that’s a very fruity nose – good clarity here too. Supple, with plenty of depth to this flavour. A very slight roast accent to this fruit – but a wine of fine texture and plenty of concentration – it’s very good.
2020 Domaine des Pampres d’Or, Vignobles Perras
Different shape, heavier bottle. Lots of colour. A nose that needs a little air – it’s concentrated. Super texture and plenty of fresh energy too. Decant this right now – it’s made ambitiously and has much material. Certainly a very good wine, potentially an excellent one
A vibrant nose – maybe a touch mentholated too. Eases over the palate with lovely, mouth-watering flavour and really fine texture. Really classy wine. I think bravo!
2020 Oedoria, Accord Majoeur Prestige
A heavy bottle. A little spiced with a suggestion of oak too. Yes, quite an oaky wine – but the concentration, balance and texture are first-class – as is the length. If you like the taste of oak this is an excellent wine.
2020 Château de Buffavent de Denis Chilliet, Vieilles-Vigne
A leaner freshness after the sweet oak of the last – I prefer this! Vibrantly wide flavour – juicy, appealing, wine with a faint lick of dryness showing from the grainless tannin. This is a very good wine – and personally much more my preference versus the last.
2020 Véronique et Olivier Bosse-Platière, Vieilles Vignes de Chalein
A super nose of high and low tones and fine dark-fruited clarity. Dark fruit on this juicy palate too – really delivering a vibrant finish – long too. I like this very much.
2020 Arnaud Patrice, Un gout de Paradis
This needs a bit of air – the nose starting in slightly lactic fashion – but a fine purity of dark berries comes to the fore. Deep, slightly reductive flavour, good middle structure and a lingering finish. You must absolutely decant this right now…
2020 Domaine des Prévelières de Quentin et Gaétan Morel, Vignes Brun
A more airy clarity of aroma for this wine – it’s nicely perfumed. Mouth-filling, modestly astringent – redder fruit than most. A refreshing wine – less ‘serious’ but with a sneakily super finish! That’s more than very good!
2020 Jean Yves et Annick Sonnery, Clos Baluce
A too heavy bottle! A good aromatic impact of fresh, dark, modestly spiced fruit. Incisive, a little more structural than most, but with cliché Beaujolais flavours of a little bubble-gum. Long and wide finishing. Very good.
2020 Jean Yves et Annick Sonnery, N°3 Cuvée Jean Sonnery
Too heavy bottle again. Airy, spicy, aromatics – a cool-fruit impression. Plenty of tannin – no grain – just a little dryness. Serious, clean flavour – this for keeping a couple of years but I find it excellent.
2020 Jean Yves et Annick Sonnery, Vieilles-Vignes
A cliché bubblegum-Beaujolais nose – nicely clean and attractive. A hint of CO2, broad but fresh flavoured and lots of depth to this flavour too. Wide, lip-smacking finishing flavour in an excellent finish. Another very good wine.
2020 Vignerons des Pierres Dorées, La Rose Pourpre Vieilles Vignes
A heavy bottle and deeply coloured – the two are often bed-mates! Concentrated fruit on the nose but avoiding ‘too much.’ Really concentrated but like the nose not heavy – this wine treads a fine line, well. This needs some time in the cellar – today it’s good but it could be excellent.
2020 Domaine des Crètes EARL Brondel, Monsieur Fernand
A more open freshness of dark-red fruit. Fresh, energetic, framed with a little astringency. Not the ripest of these, for sure, but give this a year or two in the cellar and you will be rewarded. It’s potentially very good – there’s lots of energy in this finish.
2020 Domaine des Crètes EARL Brondel, Cuvée des Varennes
A deep and concentrated nose – darkly fruited – perhaps a faint reduction here. Wide – really mouth-filling flavour – certainly darker fruited but fresh too. The structure is more obvious for this wine, so it’s another that you should wait a year or two before opening. Very good again due to its clarity of flavour and energetic finish.
Deep colour and a heavy bottle. But that’s a good nose – forward, fresh, dark, spiced but still pure fruit aromatics. Wide but layered flavour, perhaps a hint of oak – but it’s expertly hidden if so. Serious, ambitious wine, impressively concentrated and fresh – but not for today – wait 2-3 years. Bravo.
2020 Domaine du Champ de la Croix Roche Benoit, Malval
A broad and inviting, dark, sweet but still fresh fruit aroma. Supple, deep flavoured and nicely fresh – and with a lovely purity too. Not the most forceful finish but delicious and very good wine.
2020 Domaine des Voutes Dorées de Daniel et Bastien Carron, Reflets Bleus
A little reductive and herbal/menthol aroma – this needs a carafe. Also in the mouth. I gave it a shake to aerate and tried it again at the end of the tasting. It’s aromatically much better with an extra sweetness to the perfume. Still a slightly leaner style – but nothing wrong with that and the sweetness and accessibility are now much better. A good wine – but carafe!
2020 Domaine des Fonterouilles de J Roland et M Pradel
A much too heavy bottle. A less forward nose but open and freshly red-fruited. The freshest wine so far – it could be a 2021. Red-fruited on the palate too, clean, attractive – differently styled wine – more apéro-style.
2020 Mont Verrier
Deep colour and a sweet depth to this fruit aroma. Fresh, broad, but mouth-filling and mouth-watering too. The finish is a great one – such dimension here. Just a (more interesting) nose short of great wine today – but more than excellent already today!
Lots of colour. Another nose that shows a classy depth but is more compact in the higher tones. Super combination of concentration, freshness and texture –this is a very classy wine. Holding another impressive if slightly sweet finish – bravo!
2020 Château des Pertonnières de Famille Dupeuple, Cuvée Prestige
Not just narrow, this is a compact nose. To balance that, we have supple, quite broad flavours. There’s plenty of finishing tannin to this wine – a different shape to many – but no problem – I find clarity of flavour and very good wine.
Another more compact nose yet with intensity and a little spice. Broad – open-flavoured – fine clarity and structure to this flavour too. Super finishing complexity – that’s another potentially great wine!
An awkwardly shaped bottle – heavy too! Deep colour. Despite the colour here is depth and also perfume. Super over the palate – concentration and freshness – the structure never overt with a slightly furry tannic base. Really a classy wine. Bravo!
Some 2019s:
2019 Collin Bourisset
Much less colour versus the last 2020s. A subtle nose but with some width too. The fruit is rounder, redder and in this case, not quite my style – but the finish is long, sustaining very well – more than good wine.
2019 Vignerons des Pierres Dorées, Pierre Bleu
Far too heavy bottle again. A deep nose of slightly stewed red fruit. The palate reflects the nose. A finish that’s long though framed with a little tannin. I find this ‘okay.’
2019 Vignerons des Pierres Dorées, Schiste
Modest colour. Already some aromatic development – but nice. Open, fine texture a slightly roast red-fruit flavour profile – a little caramel style finishing flavour too. It’s delicious but I might more expect such a flavour profile from a 2016 or even a 2014…
2019 Vignerons des Pierres Dorées, Gravette
Like the previous wine – a lot of aromatic development – very appealing but I would (again) think it 3 or 4 years older than it actually is. Broad, mouth-filling, concentrated flavour – excellent flavour. Easily the pick of these 2019s – it’s simply excellent!
And to finish, a 2018:
2018 Jean Pierre Rivière, Saint Trys
Lots of colour again. A nose of depth but not much dimension today – a touch lactic too – yet slowly a vibrant dark berry fruit can be seen – nice. Open, mouth-filling, actually quite a classy flavour and overall impression – I would say that this is an excellent wine!
Les Whites…
Starting with 6x 2021:
2021 Arnaud Patrice, Les Fleurs Blanches
Here is an attractive citrus freshness, modestly cushioned. A mix of saline and citrus energy, showing a little structural rigour but finishing with an easy charm. That’s a good wine…
2021 Domaine des Voutes Dorées de Daniel et Bastien Carron
Pale colour. A compact nose. Broad, quite citrussy but not the most attractive – quite some rigour to the middle flavour in this wine.
2021 Domaine des Prévelières de Quentin et Gaétan Morel, Les Pierres Dorées
A heavy bottle. A compact but still attractive nose. Almost petillant due to the gas. Mineral and structural but less obvious rigour vs the previous wines – much easier to drink – indeed this finish is very nice indeed. A lovely wine.
2021 Domaine des Crètes EARL Brondel, Marine
A pretty and fresh mix of citrus and salinity. Wide, decent sweetness, plenty of energy – the minerality well in check. Delicious wine! Excellent!
2021 Domaine du Champ de la Croix Roche Benoit, Evidence
A little extra colour to this one. A nose that has some depth but is tight in the higher tones. Petillant again but still decently incisive and nicely shaped in the finish. Very good.
2021 Domaine de Baluce de Jean Yves et Annick Sonnery, N°5
More saline emphasis to these aromas. Direct and energetic – plenty of concentration – and slowly mouthwatering. There’s some rigour to this wine but much less so than the first two of this grouping.
The 2020s:
2020 La Famille K, Le Père
A nose that’s compact, slightly golden fruit. Open, mouth-watering with a golden fruit style. Mineral but not with rigour, nicely mouth-watering finish. That’s a tasty wine, slightly tannic finishing.
2020 Domaine de Baluce, Cuvée Baptiste
Broad, oaked but not to excess. Mouth-filling, plenty of juicy energy. There’s oak but less than on the nose and it retains a quite perfumed style. Long and very tasty finishing.
2020 Domaine des Prévelières de Quentin et Gaétan Morel, Les Carrières
A deeper nose of faintly spiced fruit. Concentrated, plenty of width to this flavour with an accent of anise. Structural but nothing hard. A good wine.
2020 Château de Buffavent de Denis Chilliet, Vieilles-Vignes
Like the last. More colour than seen in the 2021s. Quite a heavy nose; richness, ripeness and probably some oak too. Mouth-filling, plenty of salinity, lots of oak and already a suggestion of oxidative development to the flavours. No…
2020 Olivier Pezenneau
Not impactful in aroma but it’s clean and attractive. Ripe fruit and some minerality. The finishing flavours are mineral and saline. Good.
2020 Château de L’Eclair
A deeper nose and the most perfumed so far. Petillant, indeed overly gassy. Mineral, some energy – carafe…
2020 Vignerons des Pierres Dorées, La Rose Blanche
A deep, slightly stewed aromatic style to this fruit. Again far too much gas. The finish is broad and actually nicely done – carafe…
2020 Jean Pierre Rivière, Saint Trys
A concentrated and ripe citrus fruit nose. The flavours are similarly concentrated and almost too ripe/slightly stewed in style. Long, modestly mineral finishing. ‘Okay.’
2020 Domaine du Champ de la Croix Roche Benoit, Les Barrières
Too heavy a bottle. A concentrated, slightly heavy nose – a weight of oak aroma here. Strongly oaked but where’s the wine? Only a nice mineral impression in the saline but a very oaky finish…
2020 Oedoria, Accord Majoeur
Extra aromatic freshness – I’d go as far as to say perfume. Broad, ripe fruit but still with freshness and energy. The finish reflects the flavours. More than good despite the ripe style of the fruit…
2020 Château de Bellevue, Princesse Lieven
Golden colour. Very reductive. I like the shape, texture and energy and the finish is very long – carafe…
2020 Domaine de Baluce de Jean Yves et Annick Sonnery, Cuvée Baptiste
An intense and direct nose – ripe but holding on! I like the generosity of the texture and there’s a little quince extra to this flavour too. Mineral but not with rigour. A good wine.
2020 Domaine de Pertonnières Famille Dupeuple, La Prébende
That’s a very floral-perfumed nose – a wine apart in the company of its peers. Structural and muscular in style. Long finish. Another good wine.
A 2019:
2019 Domaine des Crètes EARL Brondel, Marie-Lou
A too heavy bottle and a golden colour. Shy higher tones and a width of textured ripe fruit below. Despite the nose, there’s more freshness than I’m expecting – ripe as the fruit is. Particular in style but very long and a tasty wine too!
And to finish, a 2018:
2018 Domaine des Crètes EARL Brondel, Mathilde
Hmm – that’s a nicely interesting nose – certainly non-standard yet there’s a very attractive spice note here. Fresher, broader – larger-scaled wine than most. There’s some oak in the background but mainly in a supporting role rather than dominating. A wine for the table rather than something juicy for your apéro. But long and good.