Tasted with Andrew Nielsen in Beaune, 27 October, 2021.
Le Grappin
12 Rue Oudot
21200 Beaune
www.legrappin.com
More reports with Le Grappin
Andrew on 2020:
“2020 was a sunny vintage. The wines we’re tasting are organic and we tried to emphasise the freshness of the wines in any way that we could. It wasn’t a vintage with massive yields – we can’t compare it to 2017 or 2018. But it was a vintage where we only needed to treat with copper and sulfur as the vineyard challenges were minimal. The wines are still in their barrels and I will start to bottle in February, or so.”
The wines…
Andrew has lost a few of his cuvées as the domaine that was supplying him was bought by another party. The wines that remain show that he retains his consistency of approach and he has wines that will repay a year or three in your cellar before drinking – as is tradition here.
Andrew thought that he only had 5 or 6 wines to taste – but we headed south and found a few more!
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune
Already over 10 years with this wine.
Plenty but not excessive colour. Fresh and even a bit mineral flavoured. Mouth-filling – I love the energy – there’s almost a Beaujolais energy here which is quite exciting.
2020 Beaune 1er Boucherottes
A more cosy, almost textured nose – delicious depth – that’s a super nose. The texture is again enveloping, layered flavour, energy and tons of concentration. Thats going to be a completely delicious wine. It’s a beauty.
Les blancs…
2020 Bourgogne Aligoté
90-year-old vines in the heights of Roche-Vineuse! Bottled in June.
This shows a wide, vibrant, steely nose. Round, open, mobile, full-flavoured wine here – not a simple aligoté by any means. Complexity of flavour, layered in the finish – lovely.
2020 Montagny 1er Truffière
Organic since the 80s, no herbicides since the 70s – a new cuvée here, bottled in August.
A proper Montagny nose with a bit of added roundness. Hmm – that’s got plenty of flavour complexity and a wide base of more mineral flavour but without any harshness. That’s a super finish.
2020 Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc
Above the village, direction Bouilland and bottled after the Montagny
This nose is more composed. The palate has more depth of mineral underpinning – perhaps a slight reduction. The finish is the best part today – thats really lovely and even slightly tannic. A wine that always seems to begin its peak drinking from about 3 years of age and hold tenaciously…
And what more can we find? Let’s go south!
2021 Beaujolais Nouveau
10% alcohol – the free-run juice from their Beaujolais Villages – ‘A breakfast Beaujolais’
Medium, medium-plus colour. The nose is lovely open and inviting – just as nouveau should be. There’s fine shape here, modest tannin and a mineral, mouth-watering style that is very tasty!
2021 Beaujolais Villages
The pressed end material from the above
Not a lot more colour but there’s plenty more aromatic concentration. Yes, more textural, more concentrated, not too sweet and with fine direction.
2020 Côte de Brouilly
Organic since 2012 – ‘mindful neglect.’ Elevage in 300-litre barrels
Full colour with this wine. Dark, vibrant aroma. This has a nicely mouth-filling flavour, framed with a little tannin. Structured but supple at the same time. A very good wine!