three from beaujolais…

11.7.2012billn


Bottles supplied for review by www.terroirs-originels.com

You know, it’s not such a bad combination; the mature white Burgundies of the last days and the counterpoint of fresh, crunchy fruit from young Beaujolais! These bottles were opened, contrasted and compared on Sunday, whilst also appreciating the sublime skills of the ‘swiss-master’: Herr Federer von Basel.

Actually, I rarely get to Beaujolais, simply because to do so, I have to drive through the Côte d’Or without stopping – and why would I do that? But taking wines from good producers, almost always demonstrates that, if there is real value anywhere in the ‘wine-world’, it is in the hills of Beaujolais. I could (probably!) have 5x the number of bottles in the cellar if I wasn’t so focused on vines just a few km to the north…

2011 Jean-Michel Dupré, Gamay à Petits Grains
Interesting; despite a back label that shows words ‘Beaujolais Villages’, here is a wine that seems to be coy about saying so. Good colour. The nose is pretty and shaded towards ‘fresh’ with some high-tones and an attractive floral dimension – with time the flowers fade, leaving a dense, dark-red core. With a little plushness to the texture and a little hint of minerality in the mid-palate too, here is a wine that begs to be consumed, indeed making an interesting point: why would anybody need ‘crus? Tasty and fresh, yet voluptuous. There can’t be better value in the wine world these days…
Rebuy – Yes

2010 Pascal Aufranc, Chénas
The label proudly states that the vines for this wine were planted in 1939, indeed the back-label gives the impression that this is the cuvée “Vignes de 1939”. Here the nose is very different. The floral aspect of the previous wine is taken to the tenth power, yet it is not the heavy perfume of a maiden aunt, it is much more beguiling – lovely. In the mouth, the acidity is on a higher level than the 2011 ‘BV’, but it is packaged so that you’ll have no complaints. The tannin is there – if you choose to search for it – and if you do you will then note the cushioned extra dimension of flavour in the mid-palate. Longer finishing for sure – and given sufficient aeration this becomes quite a mineral wine too. Very interesting and quite lovely!
Rebuy – Yes

2010 Laurent Gauthier, Morgon Grands Cras Vieilles Vignes
Here is a label that won’t help the producer sell bottles – it has so many names it is hard to decide what the wine’s called: I hope I got it right above! The aromas are much more mineral after the flowers of the Chénas, edged with dark-red fruit. Slowly this blossoms to deliver a simply gorgeous combination or very subtly creamy red fruits – it’s a sniffer’s wine. This is the most linear and direct wine of the trio, with similar (vintage) acidity to the Chénas – but with plenty of muscles to flex. This is very well put-together wine. Whilst drinking this I thought to myself that I’d rather drink the Chénas today, and sniff this – but switching to the Chénas underlined the gap between the two; the rippling muscle shown here, really makes the Chénas feel a bit ‘pinched’ after this – nice as it was. Super stuff.
Rebuy – Yes

Leave a Reply to burgundyfanCancel reply

There is one response to “three from beaujolais…”

  1. burgundyfan13th July 2012 at 8:16 pmPermalinkReply

    Hi Bill
    since you live near Strassburg you should go on february to the independent vignerons faire there.
    I was now twice there and bought some great Champagner and some Pommard(Cyrot). There are also some good producer from Braujolais there.
    Have a nice weekend
    Burgundyfan

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