The Beaujolais TN thread

[BJ]

originally posted by Marc D:
Hey BJ
I was in my local wine shop yesterday bitchin about hot vintages and big Beaujolais, and the owner asked if I wanted to taste something that was the opposite. He poured me a taste of the very same Dupre CdL! It’s a wine that could be served in a pichet for 5e in a cafe with the plat du jour or some saucisson sec. There’s a role for it.

Very limited take for me but on two recent tastes, I like what ‘22 has to offer at least on these 2. Maybe not a perfect Goldilocks vintage but the wines were red fruited, ready to drink, juicy, ripe but not over the top and will be very useful for the table for the next few years. I’ll try to post a detailed note on the wines when I have a minute.

Hey buddy! Been way too long. We need to get together...I have on 08 Gonon that I've been resisting opening, thinking it might be fun to enjoy together (15 Rule + light vintage and all that). Perhaps Brian would join?

I do agree with you...I think I posted that a little fast. Your assessment is perfect...a light luncheon side...but 5e is about right...for the coin here in the US, I'd grab a Jadot BV or something...even Dupre's BV cuvee 1940 is about the same price, and that's a serious wine...

The CdL brings to mind the old daze when bistros had a barrel of Beaujolais and served out of it by the glass...

 

[BJ]

originally posted by Marc D:
‘22 Roilette 14%abv A favorite version of this in recent years. Red berry fruit even going to pomegranate. Nice acidity. Some tannin there but it’s under the fruit at the moment. Easy to drink and ready to go. There’s a touch of heat at the finish but it didn’t bother.

‘22 Brun Cote de Brouilly This is a real charmer. 12,5% abv. Magenta red color. Pure strawberry nose and mouth. Starts out almost glou glou but the finish has a savory bitterness that reins this in. There is a hint of underripe green herb but adds to the complexity. I ordered more.

‘22 Brun L’Ancien Old reliable for me. 13% abv. Darker red than the CdB but not purple. Red berry nose, some black pepper. Easy drinker, ready to go. There’s a lactic yogurt barely noticeable if I’m nitpicking.

‘20 Foillard Morgon Cote du Py 14% abv A year ago I hated this, discouraged further Beaujolais buying for a while. It was blocky, hot and not recognizable as Gamay. I tried another one this week and it was completely transformed. Morgon Christmas spice, mix of red and black fruit. Opened up considerably with air. Ugly duckling into a swan. It’s still large boned but the terroir is now shining through.

What interesting notes! Funny how intertwined our wine mojo is right now...

I have a half case of the '22 Brun CdB awaiting us at City Cellars...now I'm really excited. My favorite Brun cuvee.

We just had an early happy hour lunch at the Oystercatcher in Coupeville, and had the '22 L'Ancien...I quizzed the waiter on whether it had been opened today and she was a bit hedgey...I do find this wine to be a bit plummy and if I'm honest, not my favorite Brun cuvee...but I think your palate is more refined than mine.

WRT the '20 Foillard...I am starting to wonder if this vintage in Beajolais is just all over the map and need some time to calm.

 

[Marc D]

originally posted by BJ:

originally posted by Marc D:
Hey BJ
I was in my local wine shop yesterday bitchin about hot vintages and big Beaujolais, and the owner asked if I wanted to taste something that was the opposite. He poured me a taste of the very same Dupre CdL! It’s a wine that could be served in a pichet for 5e in a cafe with the plat du jour or some saucisson sec. There’s a role for it.

Very limited take for me but on two recent tastes, I like what ‘22 has to offer at least on these 2. Maybe not a perfect Goldilocks vintage but the wines were red fruited, ready to drink, juicy, ripe but not over the top and will be very useful for the table for the next few years. I’ll try to post a detailed note on the wines when I have a minute.

Hey buddy! Been way too long. We need to get together...I have on 08 Gonon that I've been resisting opening, thinking it might be fun to enjoy together (15 Rule + light vintage and all that). Perhaps Brian would join?

I do agree with you...I think I posted that a little fast. Your assessment is perfect...a light luncheon side...but 5e is about right...for the coin here in the US, I'd grab a Jadot BV or something...even Dupre's BV cuvee 1940 is about the same price, and that's a serious wine...

The CdL brings to mind the old daze when bistros had a barrel of Beaujolais and served out of it by the glass...

We could do a little Gonon vertical maybe. I think I have 09, ‘10, ‘11 still. I had an 07 Gonon vv that I opened unintentionally, thinking it was the regular. Amazing wine but now a unicorn. Can you send me a email, I need to update your contact info. Would love to see you guys! Btw it’s been a really good chanterelle season up here.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by Marc D:
‘22 Roilette 14%abv A favorite version of this in recent years. Red berry fruit even going to pomegranate. Nice acidity. Some tannin there but it’s under the fruit at the moment. Easy to drink and ready to go. There’s a touch of heat at the finish but it didn’t bother.

‘22 Brun Cote de Brouilly This is a real charmer. 12,5% abv. Magenta red color. Pure strawberry nose and mouth. Starts out almost glou glou but the finish has a savory bitterness that reins this in. There is a hint of underripe green herb but adds to the complexity. I ordered more.

‘22 Brun L’Ancien Old reliable for me. 13% abv. Darker red than the CdB but not purple. Red berry nose, some black pepper. Easy drinker, ready to go. There’s a lactic yogurt barely noticeable if I’m nitpicking.

‘20 Foillard Morgon Cote du Py 14% abv A year ago I hated this, discouraged further Beaujolais buying for a while. It was blocky, hot and not recognizable as Gamay. I tried another one this week and it was completely transformed. Morgon Christmas spice, mix of red and black fruit. Opened up considerably with air. Ugly duckling into a swan. It’s still large boned but the terroir is now shining through.

Thanks for the usefully informative notes and considerate inclusion of abvs.

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by BJ:

WRT the '20 Foillard...I am starting to wonder if this vintage in Beajolais is just all over the map and need some time to calm.

Probably. Not as bad as '18. And some of those will probably also get better as they calm.

But I do fairly limited purchasing, so I'm still not keen on '20 gambles.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

Not a Bojo, but perhaps honorarily so, a 2020 Sérol Éclat de Granite 12.5% was rock-lickin' blissful tonite (not every 2020 flirts with the dark side).

 

[Jay Miller]

2019 Georges Descombes Morgon Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (10/1/2024)
Day 1, a bit tight. Nice acidity, needs food
Day 3, loads of gorgeous red berry fruit. Love this
Day 5, starting to fade but still enjoyable

 

[Pavel Tchichikov]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Not a Bojo, but perhaps honorarily so, a 2020 Sérol Éclat de Granite 12.5% was rock-lickin' blissful tonite (not every 2020 flirts with the dark side).

sorry if i've already mentioned this.
eclat de granite is the cuvee i am mostly familiar with, and the 2020 is indeed superb.
while in france two years ago, i spotted 2020 oudan, perdriziere, and les millerands; was pretty excited to try oudan (randomly picked, i must have liked the black label), but it had definitely flirted with the dark side - the difference with eclat was striking.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov:

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Not a Bojo, but perhaps honorarily so, a 2020 Sérol Éclat de Granite 12.5% was rock-lickin' blissful tonite (not every 2020 flirts with the dark side).

sorry if i've already mentioned this.
eclat de granite is the cuvee i am mostly familiar with, and the 2020 is indeed superb.
while in france two years ago, i spotted 2020 oudan, perdriziere, and les millerands; was pretty excited to try oudan (randomly picked, i must have liked the black label), but it had definitely flirted with the dark side - the difference with eclat was striking.

When I tasted through the line-up, the Éclat was definitely my favorite of the non-amphora cuvées, so perhaps you would have preferred it to the other two as well.

 

[BJ]

Hi Marc, arrived home last night and finished the bottle of '22 Brun CdB the Mme had opened Weds. It was fairly substantial with a block of dark licorice fruit as well as a real green element - brought to mind aspects of the '14. I look forward to following one of these from opening.

This cuvee does strike me as somewhat different than what I recall around 2010...I wonder if his vineyard sources have changed somewhat. I find it really hard to generalize about CdB based on its varying aspects.

 

[BJ]

I also just noted in Asimov's '22 Beaujolais piece from May that Coquelet is G Descombes' stepson - willing to bet that accounts for some of Descombes' descent into volatility...

 

[Bill Lundstrom]

2013 Foillard Morgon 3.14 was uninspiring last night. Kind of thick with indistinct fruit. Tasted like it could have been from anywhere. Maybe I just held on to it too long.

 

[Robert Dentice]

Two new wines to me that were both very good:

2022 Cossard Fleurie - A much more serious interpretation of Gamay but still has lots of juicy, early drinking pleasure. Feels like Gamay made by a Burgundy winemaker.

2022 Moulin à Vent Ophélie Dutraive - This was extremely beautiful. I can't wait to try it again.

From the importer website:

In the 2019 vintage, Ophélie launched her own project with a rented 0.3 hectare plot of 100-120 year-old vines in the lieu-dit of Les Métérées in the Cru of Moulin-à-Vent. The following year, she planted another 0.2 hectare on well rested soils that had never been planted to vine and had never been treated with chemicals. With her half hectare of organically farmed Moulin-à Vent, Ophélie is able to make her own cuvée from plots that she works on her own.

In the cellar, carbonic maceration is carried out with indigenous yeasts and only 15 mg/L of sulfur is added. The wine is aged in a combination of demi-muids and neutral barrels for seven months and sees no fining or filtration. Ophélie's inaugural cuvée was vibrant and nervy with the meatiness of a classic Moulin-à-Vent and the thirst-quenching fruit we have come to expect from any label bearing the Dutraive name. We can't wait for what's to come!

 

[BJ]

originally posted by Bill Lundstrom:
2013 Foillard Morgon 3.14 was uninspiring last night. Kind of thick with indistinct fruit. Tasted like it could have been from anywhere. Maybe I just held on to it too long.

I have yet to like one of the dense uber cuvees from Foillard or Lapierre...

 

[BJ]

Opened another of the '22 Brun CdB's...while appreciate this, I'm not feeling the deep love I used to have for this. This is like a better, larger version of the '14...something feels different about this cuvee, it says the vineyard is SE facing (so similar to Thivin); I have a memory that in early days this came from east and north facing vineyards...but now I'm just spreading rumors.

I'm going to tuck the remaining bottles away as this does seem like something that will be lovely in about ten.

Marc, was your bottle an L/D importation with a tax disc?

 

[BJ]

By the way all,

I just came across these incredible appellation maps on this site...https://www.beaujolais.com/en/discover/nos-12-appellations/ pretty wonderful...

Check out CdB...I can't think of another appellation like it with vineyards facing all aspects...

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by BJ:

originally posted by Bill Lundstrom:
2013 Foillard Morgon 3.14 was uninspiring last night. Kind of thick with indistinct fruit. Tasted like it could have been from anywhere. Maybe I just held on to it too long.

I have yet to like one of the dense uber cuvees from Foillard or Lapierre...

I've always liked the Foillard 3.14, but it seems like just a 'bit' more of everything for a lot more money, so I don't buy it often. I was surprised to like the 2015 Cuvee Marcel Lapierre last year, but again, rarely find the need to buy. Am curious to try the Descombes Cuvee Vermont, but I bought the 2018 so it may need a while to settle down into my palate zone.

Overall, I have nothing against these cuvees for trying different approaches to expressing their vines. They certainly don't seem silly or oaky to my palate, whether or not one personally feels the need to buy.

 

[Marc D]

originally posted by BJ:
Opened another of the '22 Brun CdB's...while appreciate this, I'm not feeling the deep love I used to have for this. This is like a better, larger version of the '14...something feels different about this cuvee, it says the vineyard is SE facing (so similar to Thivin); I have a memory that in early days this came from east and north facing vineyards...but now I'm just spreading rumors.

I'm going to tuck the remaining bottles away as this does seem like something that will be lovely in about ten.

Marc, was your bottle an L/D importation with a tax disc?

Came from Shawn, I’m sure it’s L/D. While I truly miss VIF, I’m grateful she’s distributing the L/D wines again. Availability was pretty bad for a while here. Brun Fleurie, I have fond memories of that cuvée, but haven’t seen that one around at all. I thought the CdB was best with a few hours of air, 2nd day the pretty red fruit faded and more herb and dark fruit.

 

[BJ]

originally posted by Marc D:

originally posted by BJ:
Opened another of the '22 Brun CdB's...while appreciate this, I'm not feeling the deep love I used to have for this. This is like a better, larger version of the '14...something feels different about this cuvee, it says the vineyard is SE facing (so similar to Thivin); I have a memory that in early days this came from east and north facing vineyards...but now I'm just spreading rumors.

I'm going to tuck the remaining bottles away as this does seem like something that will be lovely in about ten.

Marc, was your bottle an L/D importation with a tax disc?

Came from Shawn, I’m sure it’s L/D. While I truly miss VIF, I’m grateful she’s distributing the L/D wines again. Availability was pretty bad for a while here. Brun Fleurie, I have fond memories of that cuvée, but haven’t seen that one around at all. I thought the CdB was best with a few hours of air, 2nd day the pretty red fruit faded and more herb and dark fruit.

Interesting re few hours...this was gone in a couple, so maybe we missed best of...

 

[BJ]

I'm here drinking the '22 Hoppenot Fleurie Origines. This, I like. Orange rind, cherry Nyquil nose, a lot of energy in mouth, repeating nose notes, a slight bitterness, pretty glou, ashy earth in long finish. Reminds me somewhat of Chermette's Garants but maybe with dreads and hairy armpits, but still freshly showered.