How is Beaujolais in 2020?

J

Jay Miller

Jay Miller
Haven't heard much one way or the other and I'd like to have a few bottles on hand that I won't feel guilty about opening on the rare nights I feel like drinking by myself.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
How is Beaujolais in 2020?Haven't heard much one way or the other and I'd like to have a few bottles on hand that I won't feel guilty about opening on the rare nights I feel like drinking by myself.
Click to expand...

neal martin did a very thorough article on beaujolais last august which focuses on the 10 crus and producers in those crus, with some discussion of these producers 2020's.

for me, neal is the best writer for coverage of beaujolais.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
How is Beaujolais in 2020?Haven't heard much one way or the other and I'd like to have a few bottles on hand that I won't feel guilty about opening on the rare nights I feel like drinking by myself.
Click to expand...

neal martin did a very thorough article on beaujolais last august which focuses on the 10 crus and producers in those crus, with some discussion of these producers 2020's.

for me, neal is the best writer for coverage of beaujolais.
Click to expand...

Did he like the vintage?

I've been a little down on him ever since he dissed the quality of Rauzan Segla in the '80s.
 
Josh wrote the vintage summary: It's still early days, but the best wines of 2020 display depth as well as juiciness, much like the best examples from 2019. The fruit character is towards the black and blue rather than the red end of the Gamay spectrum, which is likely to give many Beaujolais purists pause. A hot growing season pushed ripeness along more quickly than many growers would have liked, resulting in an earlier than normal harvest in an effort to rein in sugars and preserve acidity. (08/21, JR)

The flavor profile doesn't give me pause but an early harvest suggests buying favorite producers rather than experimenting.
 
Insane drought (worse than 2003) and heat (not as bad as 2003 but worse than 2009).
I have seen more wines over 15% of alcohol here than in the Rhone...
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
originally posted by robert ames:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
How is Beaujolais in 2020?Haven't heard much one way or the other and I'd like to have a few bottles on hand that I won't feel guilty about opening on the rare nights I feel like drinking by myself.
Click to expand...

neal martin did a very thorough article on beaujolais last august which focuses on the 10 crus and producers in those crus, with some discussion of these producers 2020's.

for me, neal is the best writer for coverage of beaujolais.
Click to expand...

Did he like the vintage?

I've been a little down on him ever since he dissed the quality of Rauzan Segla in the '80s.
Click to expand...

there's no summarization of the vintage.

re: neal martin was plenty bullish on rauzan segla in his revisit of the 2000 vs. 2001 bordeaux.
 
originally posted by Jay Miller:
I've been a little down on him ever since he dissed the quality of Rauzan Segla in the '80s.
Click to expand...
Just checked: He's bullish on 86-88-89 and "nice enough" (my phrase) on the rest. He does overall rank it less than Palmer or Margaux.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by Jay Miller:
I've been a little down on him ever since he dissed the quality of Rauzan Segla in the '80s.
Click to expand...
Just checked: He's bullish on 86-88-89 and "nice enough" (my phrase) on the rest. He does overall rank it less than Palmer or Margaux.
Click to expand...

well margaux is a first growth and rauzan segla is a second growth so certainly you can't argue that that should not be the case.

the classification of 1855 was based on the prices the various properties fetched.

chateau palmer was given third growth status on this basis in 1855.

but prices today show chateau palmer going for significantly more than rauzan segla, so using price as the yardstick, palmer should received higher status/accolades.

neal's ranking is no different than the wine market at large.
 
I like '20s, so that should tell you they're ripe. I think William Kelly has also done a good job with Beaujolais the past few years, though Gilman may still be the best bet for those that prefer screechier ones, though with global warming, there are fewer of them being made.
 
According to a thread on another bored, Canadian authorities tested and then required relabeling of the 2020 Thivin Reverdon/Sept Vignes. Labeled at 13.5, but actually 15.3.
 
The 2020 Roilette Fleurie is a stunning wine at the moment.

Also William Kelley has fantastic Beaujolais coverage, I hope he does not forget this as he ramps up for Bordeaux.
 
originally posted by Robert Dentice:


The 2020 Roilette Fleurie is a stunning wine at the moment.

Also William Kelley has fantastic Beaujolais coverage, I hope he does not forget this as he ramps up for Bordeaux.
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hmmm. . .he also does burgundy.
 
Did a mini 2020 tasting today. For my tastes these wines are ripe but not over-the-top. All had identical color and were similar overall.

Lapierre Morgon (13.5 abv) - most complex, great fruit up front, juiciness, spicy, structure. This would be the one to age out of these three.

Dutraive (Grand'Cour) 2020 Fleurie Clos de la Grand'Cour (14 abv) - aromatic, floral, and voluptuous. Clean which is a relief with any Dutraive...no signs of Mickey.

Jean-Paul Brun L'Ancien (13.5 abv) - spicy, ferral and all round delicious fruit. My better half was shocked when I told her the price was half for this than the other two.
 
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
According to a thread on another bored, Canadian authorities tested and then required relabeling of the 2020 Thivin Reverdon/Sept Vignes. Labeled at 13.5, but actually 15.3.
Click to expand...

So much for the 1.5 degree of tolerance.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
According to a thread on another bored, Canadian authorities tested and then required relabeling of the 2020 Thivin Reverdon/Sept Vignes. Labeled at 13.5, but actually 15.3.
Click to expand...

So much for the 1.5 degree of tolerance.
Click to expand...
15.3 - 13.5 = 1.8 so yeah. But who noticed it?
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
originally posted by MarkS:
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
According to a thread on another bored, Canadian authorities tested and then required relabeling of the 2020 Thivin Reverdon/Sept Vignes. Labeled at 13.5, but actually 15.3.
Click to expand...

So much for the 1.5 degree of tolerance.
Click to expand...
15.3 - 13.5 = 1.8 so yeah. But who noticed it?
Click to expand...

Myself, I was startled by Grossman's item about Canadian testing of alcohol levels as reported on wine labels. There are some benefits to bureaucracy and procedure. Makes me think of the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal.

I realize that I was trusting that there is a degree of verisimilitude on labels. I don't want to drink 14+-15+% wines. I'd like to have that choice. (Yes, we have larger problems like climate change creating this problem as well). Right now I'm curious about how/who/if verifies alcohol labeling. Usually these things are "follow the money."

The Word earlier in 2021 (2018/19 vintage arrivals) was that wine producers were "...inflating stated alcohol levels to avoid tariffs on lower-alcohol wine categories." Convenient/comforting "explanation" substituting speculation for facts. Or conflating speculation with causality.

Curious about any robust knowledge on this....
 
Karen,
When I made wine, I was the person who ordered the lab test regarding alcohol by volume on every wine I made. That was also the case with every other winemaker in my facility (28).
From those results, I ordered the label making company what abv to include on the label.
I was told, but never experienced, the feds could audit and test at will.
Best, Jim
 
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