Grandes Maisons: Grands Crus – The 2008s
From the Grands Jours in Burgundy at the end of March and organised by the association of négociants (Fédération des Négociants Eleveurs de Grande Bourgogne – FNEB) was a blind tasting of predominantly 2008 grand crus in the Château du Clos de Vougeot. For some reason a handful of… Read More
Grandes Maisons Tasting: Grands Jours de Bourgogne
A very interesting tasting followed by dinner in the Château du Vougeot, arranged by the ‘Union des Maisons de Vins de Bourgogne’ which is a trade body of the Burgundy négoce that celebrated it’s 150th anniversary in 2006. Thirty-seven grand crus were presented ‘half-blind’ – you knew it was… Read More
2023 Beaujolais Nouveau – steady as she goes!
So - how important is Beaujolais Nouveau today?
It may surprise you to learn that in 2022, nearly a quarter of all Beaujolais' 13,500 hectares of production, ended up in bottles that were labelled Nouveau.
That was 16,500,000 bottles of Nouveau - and that's a lot - it's equivalent to 85% of all the production of the Burgundy region from Chablis to the 'border' with Beaujolais!
France takes 60% of the bottles but the classic markets of Japan, the US and the UK, together, still bought more than 4 million bottles last year.
That being the case, it's still worth trying to find some good ones!
The 2023 vintage:
The vine-growth in 2023 started in the 'new classic' style - ie quite early and in good conditions due to a mild start to the year. This year, there was hardly any worry about frost and there followed practically ideal conditions for flowering. This early debut of growth, followed by the summer heat, ensured that it was another earlier harvesting year - from about the 1st September - so, versus 2021, we certainly had the potential for nearly an extra month of elevage before any Nouveau bottling got underway - but how, exactly, did the post-flowering year go?
In 2023, the Beaujolais vigneron(ne)s liked to talk about the weather; there's nothing unusual about 'farmers' talking about the weather, right? Of course not! But, as we approached the harvest, there was a clear focus to most of these conversations - and that focus was the rain - or rather the lack of rain.
The crus in the north got a couple of decent rainfalls in July/August but to the south not - here it stayed dry from mid-June right up to the harvest - in fact the further south you went in Beaujolais, the drier it got, reducing the berry size and therefore the yields - unsurprisingly, it was the young vines that particularly suffered in these conditions. The producers point to the counter-balance of the daytime heat with cooler nights - 'so the wines have a nice aromatic balance - not too warm!'
Proportionately, Beaujolais Nouveau is made in higher quantities from vines in the appellations of Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages as these labels are a little less attractive to Beaujolais buyers than those wines labelled in the name of 'the crus' - such as Fleurie or Saint Amour. So it is the wines from the south, whose volumes were most severely limited by the summer drought, who provide the bulk of the juice for these Nouveaux - it was an important point for this tasting.
The best wines...
In the the heartland of Beaujolais Nouveau production - ie the south of Beaujolais - the, drought-related, brake on the potential harvest volume has clearly been of benefit for anyone with an interest in drinking this stuff. That's because any excess volume usually translates into significant quality variation between those who cropped at the maximum and those who were more modest.
2023's more modest harvest volumes have brought some consistency to the wines - a little like in 2022. The Beaujolais Nouveaux are less regular than the Beaujolais Villages Nouveaux but as in most years the latter category come with not just more depth of flavour - they come with more structure too - and in many cases I'd be looking to keep, and drink, the villages over a longer period than the campaign for Nouveau might suggest.
I have noted a few more great wines (below) than in 2022 but overall, it's quite a similar number for 97 wines tasted this year.
97 wines tasted - is that a lot? There are probably more like 200-250 different bottlings and/or cuvée names in this category - and good luck to you if you can find some of them in your local markets. I really struggle in Switzerland - and the anonymous (single!) bottling of Switzerland's Coop supermarket is, historically, an awful one - but I'll try it again this year - hopefully without needing to pour (more than!) half of the bottle away!
Good hunting!
All the wines were tasted and selected blind. It was only after the tasting that I got a copy of the spreadsheet with the names to match to the numbered bottles:
5 Great wines for their labels
One more than last year:
Jean Loron, Beaujolais Nouveau Rosé
Agamy, Domaine de Solémy Beaujolais Nouveau
Manoir du Carra Famille Sambardier, Dame Nature Beaujolais Villages
Famille Descombe, Granite Beaujolais Villages
Richard Rottiers Beaujolais Villages
10 Excellent Wines - Beaujolais Nouveau
Two less than in 2022:
Jean Loron, Rift 69
Romy, Le Mouflet
Georges Duboeuf
Jean-Yves Sonnery Domaine de Baluce
Domaine des Prévelières
Domaine Pierre André Dumas
Aurélie et Fabien Romany
Domaine des Prévelières, Border'Wine
Baptiste Aufranc
Célia et David Large, Zombi
9 Excellent Wines - Beaujolais Villages Nouveau
Just one more than in 2022:
Domaine Gaget, Vinum Memoria
Georges Duboeuf
Domaine de la Madone Bérerd Père et Fils
Nicolas Boudeau
Domaine des Terres Vivantes, La Lutine
Cave Vignerons de Bel Air, Natural
Château de Corcelles
Domaine Desprès
Julien Aucagne
Click on 'Read More...' below to see the full notes for the (almost) 100 wines in the order that they were (blind) tasted on Halloween 2023:
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2021 Beaujolais: You can have it all – there’s great, good and there’s ugly too…
2021 Red Burgundy Part 1: 35 Côte de Beaune domaines – November 2022 2021 Red Burgundy Part 2: 41 Côte de Nuits domaines – December 2022 2021 Red Burgundy Part 3: 85 Beaujolais domaines – February 2023 Above the Col du Truges, February 2021 2021 was a throwback to many… Read More
2022 Beaujolais Nouveau – as good as it gets!
The 2022 vintage:The 2021-2022 winter was long and, compared to most of the recent years, relatively cold. Frosts were commonplace until the beginning of April so probably because of that, budburst - in the second half of April - was relatively late. At this time, the domaines were already noting a lack of rain in the vineyards.
May was a warm and dry one: 50% less rainfall than normal plus more sunshine than usual - it was the warmest May on record since 1959.
The vines grew quickly and flowering took place in ideal, if early, conditions. Despite the dryness of May, there was sufficient rain in June to avoid issues with the vines even if the quantity of rainfall remained much below the average. It was in July that (not just!) the Beaujolais saw successive waves of hot weather - again lacking rain - it was the driest July for 33 years with 8mm of rain instead of an average of 68mm! This meant that the sanitary conditions of the vines couldn't have been better.
The harvest was very early - from the middle of August! The hot weather had reduced the amount of malic acid in the grapes but concentrated the amount of tartaric acid. Despite a little more rain in the area of Beaujolais Villages, the wines were concentrated and volumes were modest, so unlike in 2020, it was rarely possible for domaines to 'take advantage' of the volumes on offer - so there is a consistency in the concentration and ripeness in these 2022s.
Many thanks to the team at Château du Moulin à Vent for some of their vintage insight.
The best wines:
I just hope that you have some chance to find such domaine wines. Last year my local (Swiss) coop had only one, which was bottled just for them - no producer info - and that was probably just as well because it was rubbish!
Whilst there were few 'great wines' in the equivalent tasting of 2021s, last year, those that were, clearly stood out from the crowd. In 2022 it was more difficult because the average quality was very consistent and as high as I have seen it - in this respect it reminds me very much of the 2019 vintage. From 100 wines there was one that was corked - the second bottle was fine - and only one wine where I directly said 'NO!' - I wouldn't put this one in my mouth a second time!
Any complaints?
Actually, yes! Why so many heavy, statement, bottles? - 'Prestigious cuvées?' This is Beaujolais Nouveau for God's sake. WTF!?
4 Great wines:
Dominique Piron: Beaujolais AND Beaujolais Villages
Domaine de Colette, Natur’Elle de Colette, Villages
Domaine des Nugues Villages
12 Excellent Wines - Beaujolais:
Jean Yves Sonnery
Anthony Charvet, Beaujo Beau
JM Aujoux, La vie est belle
Frédéric Berne
Domaine Perthuizet, Gégé
Trenel
Château de L’Eclair
Domaine des Prévellières
Julien Bertrand
Brossette Paul André et Fils
Agamy, Domaine du Solémy
8 Excellent Wines - Beaujolais Villages:
Château de Vaux De Vermont Yannick
Vignobles Jambon, Pure
Domaine Péchard Tano
David Berougon
Jean-Paul Dubost, Beaujolais Lantignié
Domaine du Clos du Fief
Château de Pougelon
Jean Yves Sonnery, Cuvée Elégance
Click on 'Read More...' below to see the full notes for 100 wines in the order that they were (blind) tasted:
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Le Corton of Bouchard Père – A Vineyard Profile
Le Corton, visited with Fred Weber, Summer 2022… High on the hill of Corton, facing directly to the east and highly visible from the Route Nationale sits the area of Le Corton. This area of vines has long been easy to point out because of the large tree and the… Read More
JA Ferret – 2020
Tasted with Audrey Braccini, in Fuissé, 28 March 2022. Domaine Ferret 166 rue Adrien Arcelin 71960 Fuissé Tel: +33 3 85 35 61 56 www.domaine-ferret.com More reports with Domaine Ferret Audrey on 2021: “The top and bottom of our vineyards were frosted but the middle was lovely though. For a… Read More
2021 Beaujolais Nouveau – the ‘combative’ vintage
Or primeurs as the French, so often, refer to them. 100 wines, tasted blind in deepest Beaujolais, 02 November 2021:
- Inter Beaujolais - the marketing board for the Beaujolais region - describe the 2021 vintage as combative.
- 2021 was a complicated year in terms of both the weather conditions and the amount of work needed in the vines by the winegrowers. The second half of August and the month of September, however, made it possible to retain decent quality grapes, even if the quantity was reduced.
- Begun in mid-September, the harvest took place in rather cool conditions. This freshness, which characterised the end of the grapes' ripening period, is visible in the wines.
- The wines in 2021 have moderation in mind – at least compared to the other recent vintages – they are lower in both alcohol and weight of phenolics - their tannic structure. The wines have been quite fairly described by Inter Beaujolais as ‘tender and fruity.’
Overall, just over 100 samples were presented for this 2021 showing of Beaujolais Nouveau - which is a big drop from the number of samples (160+) proffered in recent vintages. Why? Simply, it was the 2021 harvest volumes; generally hit by frost at the start of the year and more locally in the south – where much Nouveau is produced – by some hail too. Whilst the official harvest volumes are not yet available, the harvest was generally down by about 25% - more in the south, less in the crus of the north - and that was the principal driver here.
I note that in this vintage the wines were showing much less ‘fruit-forward’ in style than their siblings in other recent vintages. I find a number of excellent wines but I have also noted many, many fewer ‘bravo’ wines than in other vintages - only 3 - but it would be remiss of me not to point out the very short timeline from harvest to my tasting glass this year – certainly much less elevage than was afforded to the earlier harvests of the previous 5-6 years.
2021 and the most recent vintages:
I've done this tasting since the 2017 vintage, and whilst the recent quality from Grower Nouveau has been on a much higher level than I can ever recollect - and with much more consistency too - 2021 is certainly a step back in terms of concentration, if not their acid-driven intensity - 2021 brings a lighter style which works much better with the Beaujolais Villages wines - 6-12 months of patience is not mandatory in this vintage. I have noted many fewer 'Bravo!' wines than in other tastings but there remain many excellent, quite delicious, wines:
Vintage 2017 - a warm, clean, early vintage – one hailstorm excepted – but low yielding. The best wines were excellent and the quality was consistent
Vintage 2018 - a warm clean and again an early vintage but with many higher-yielding places where the producers allowed. I observed significant quality differences in the samples - I largely attributed this to big swings in yields.
Vintage 2019 - another warm vintage with harvesting a little later but because of both frost and hail, yields were cut. The best wines were of high quality and the consistency was intermediate to 2017 and 2018.
Vintage 2020 - a warm clean vintage with consistently below-average yields. The best wines, once again, show high quality and a consistency that's at least as good as seen in the 2017s. The wines are relatively powerful and well constructed, the 'villages' wines generally need a little patience but are consistently excellent - a vintage you can blind buy domaine wines!
Vintage 2021 - A vintage of frost, hail in places, and much lower yields - the cooler, wetter weather requiring more grape triage but this resulted in wines that are clean and attractive with good acidity - perhaps more elegantly proportioned than the most recent vintages with a stronger spine of acidity rather than tannin to support them.
Link to previous tastings. I like this tasting - not particularly for its length or nouveau specificity but rather because it's quite an accurate snapshot of how, in general, the next vintage will show when released in another 6-12 months...
And in the order tasted, my 'excellent wine' picks for this year?
Of course, all were tasted blind:
2021 Frederic Berne, Beaujolais Nouveau
2021 Collin-Bourisset, Beaujolais Nouveau ‘à ta cuvée à la con’
2021 Vins Aujoux, Beaujolais Nouveau ‘Le Cochon Chic’
2021 Père Benoit, Beaujolais Nouveau ‘Tchin’
2021 Domaine de Solémy, Beaujolais Nouveau Vieilles-Vignes
2021 Jean Loron, Beaujolais Nouveau ‘Tradition Vielles-Vignes’
2021 Famille Girin, Beaujolais Nouveau
2021 Domaine de Loyse - Cellier de St.Jean d’Ardières, Beaujolais Nouveau
2021 Château de Pizay, Beaujolais Nouveau
2021 Henry Fessy, Beaujolais Nouveau
2021 P Ferraud et Fils, Beaujolais Nouveau
2021 Famille Chasselay, Beaujolais Nouveau ‘La Marduette’
2021 P Ferraud et Fils, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau
2021 Vignobles Jambon, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Pure’
2021 Pierre Dupond, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Seconde Nature’
2021 Château de l’Eclair, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau
2021 Château de Chatelard, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Vintage’
2021 Cave du Château des Loges, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Les Trois Madones, Sans Souffre’
2021 Domaine de la Madone, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Pérréoneissime’
2021 Domaine Burnichon, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau
2021 Besson Père et Fils, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Tu m’fais tourner la tête’
2021 Les Jeunes Pousses, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Préambule’
2021 Château de Lavernette, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Le Jeune’
And the medals for those lonely 'Bravo!' wines - the best of this tasting:
2021 Jean Loron, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘In Jules we Trust’
2021 Manoir de Carra Sambardier, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau Vieilles-Vignes
2021 Manoir de Carra Sambardier, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ‘Dame Nature’
Here's hoping that you can actually find some of these!
Click below to see the full notes for over 100 wines:
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The swiss sale of La Romanée back to the 1862 vintage…
For the safety of their international customers, Baghera/wines has chosen to organise a dynamic online sale, auctioning the 332 lots in live-streaming from “Club 1865 by Baghera” and on the Baghera/wines website. Image and video from Baghera… I’d planned to attend Sunday’s auction… Read More