1989 Duboeuf Fleurie Chateau des Bachelards

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BJ

BJ
An interesting wine. Old Breton church crypt. A little piney, greenish tones. Into the finish warmed decidedly into older Chateauneuf shades.

If someone had served this blind to me, I would have guessed 86 or 88 Chateauneuf.

Quite enjoyable.
 
BJ, is this a fluke, or can some of Db's crus go such a distance? (Curious too, the CdP resemblance.) I saw some crus in the 10-15 yr old range recently and wondered about them.
 
I really can't claim to know. This is the oldest Duboeuf I've had, and actually, perhaps the oldest Beaujolais I've had. I will say though, I have a more positive opinion of Duboeuf's individual producer wines than many here. Not at the heights of great Beaujolais, to be sure, but also not the fount of evil either.
 
Thanks, BJ. Yeah, these I found locally may have seriously dubious storage provenance, but for a chance at trying an aged B for about $20, I thought I might risk purchasing a bottle of one of the longer lived crus. What are the complaints? Oak?
 
If the nasty yeast was the only way to account for the banana split, pina colada flavor, it wasn't just for the Nouveau and they were using it in 89. I remember vividly tasting through a bunch of 89s on the basis of a Parker review and deciding that I must just not like Beaujolais. I wasn't disabused until about 10 years on when Bob Semon gave me taste of some real Beaujolais. Of course, age may have muted the effect of the yeast. And I can't claim to have tasted this particular producer.
 
I completely stay away from Duboeuf's Flower label wines - I think those are wines that they bring up themselves and the banana yeast thing would ring true for me there. Though I hear the dropped that yeast a few years ago.

Duboeuf also bottles and sells a number of wines made by individual growers, for example, the old Descombes estate and the Quattre Vents (which to me generally is the best wine Dubouef sells). I see on their website they no longer do either so perhaps those relationships have ended. I'm not exactly sure what the dividing line is between Duboeuf and the growers but I have wondered if Duboeuf is buying finished wine from them.
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
BJ, is this a fluke, or can some of Db's crus go such a distance? (Curious too, the CdP resemblance.) I saw some crus in the 10-15 yr old range recently and wondered about them.
Click to expand...

No fluke. Fantastic vintage in B, and those flower labels can still be good if an occasional bottle turns up. But this is by no means a general recommendation to start buying up various vintages of the stuff; I just happen to be familiar with the 89s
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
Thanks, BJ. Yeah, these I found locally may have seriously dubious storage provenance, but for a chance at trying an aged B for about $20, I thought I might risk purchasing a bottle of one of the longer lived crus. What are the complaints? Oak?
Click to expand...

Not oak, more commercial yeasts and generally overall crappiness. But I have had many, many very enjoyable Duboeufs (though I wouldn't put them up against the best, but they're also half the price).
 
originally posted by .sasha:
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
BJ, is this a fluke, or can some of Db's crus go such a distance? (Curious too, the CdP resemblance.) I saw some crus in the 10-15 yr old range recently and wondered about them.
Click to expand...

No fluke. Fantastic vintage in B, and those flower labels can still be good if an occasional bottle turns up. But this is by no means a general recommendation to start buying up various vintages of the stuff; I just happen to be familiar with the 89s
Click to expand...

Thanks, .sasha. I'll check on the vintages again...seem to recall they are mid-90's flower label crus. Might be a couple of older bottles.

BJ, thank you (and others) regarding the yeast thing. I'll look for growers too if they have any. It's an odd store...lots of stuff that should have been consumed long ago, with occasional bottles of stuff that might make it (like a recent '95 CdVentoux that was lovely, for $17). I'll probably pick one of the Db cru's just to satisfy my curiosity.
 
1996 DB Moulin-a-Vent...capsule is nearly glued to the rotting cork from seepage. Pulled it off in pieces and worked on the cork, mumbling several words to myself.Cork came out in 2 pieces, soaked. Wine smelled cooked and tasted cooked. Last bottle I buy there.
 
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