Nine days in Beaujolais [updated with text and bonus photos, travel details added, I swear that's it]

Great report, sounds like you really know how to do a vacation. And interesting thoughts about the super-cuvees. I guess it is always an issue whether the other bottlings suffer as a result.

Coudert....I found an interesting prune-ish note in almost all the bottles that I hadnt noticed before but really stood out. Prune-ish in a good way.
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Could this have been from the bottles that were opened several days? Prune notes for red wine are often a sign to me of something overripe or oxidizing.
 
Double wow.

I was surprised by a local 06 Lapierre we opened the other day: elegance and balance were both apt descriptors. Much, much different from a year ago.

Curious about the Brun closures, as I've read a couple of 09 l'Ancienne notes on CellarTracker describing bottles with plastic corks. By the way, unrelated, who knew Brun makes a Bourgogne.

Curious what makes you distinguish CdlR Tardive from other premium bottlings: habit alone? Or is it made differently? The Tardive mark-up is more reasonable, in any event: 2007 3.14 is priced near $50 equivalent hereabouts.

Muy obrigado for the report.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
Great report, sounds like you really know how to do a vacation. And interesting thoughts about the super-cuvees. I guess it is always an issue whether the other bottlings suffer as a result.

Coudert....I found an interesting prune-ish note in almost all the bottles that I hadnt noticed before but really stood out. Prune-ish in a good way.
Click to expand...

Could this have been from the bottles that were opened several days? Prune notes for red wine are often a sign to me of something overripe or oxidizing.
Click to expand...

No, these were just opened bottles. It's interesting, we had a bottle of Steve's Porphyry last night and I tasted a similar note. Prune is not really the right term, it's more of a dense compressed piece in there. I knew that term might be a little controversial.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Double wow.

I was surprised by a local 06 Lapierre we opened the other day: elegance and balance were both apt descriptors. Much, much different from a year ago.

Curious about the Brun closures, as I've read a couple of 09 l'Ancienne notes on CellarTracker describing bottles with plastic corks. By the way, unrelated, who knew Brun makes a Bourgogne.

Curious what makes you distinguish CdlR Tardive from other premium bottlings: habit alone? Or is it made differently? The Tardive mark-up is more reasonable, in any event: 2007 3.14 is priced near $50 equivalent hereabouts.

Muy obrigado for the report.
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I was similarly surprised by the 06 Lapierre - I think the 06's may be emerging from their shell.

JP did say about 20% of the 09s were under plastic, and I assumed those were not for the US market. So I guess keep your eyes open before you go deep. Brun makes a Bourgogne? I don't think so.

I think the Tardive is a different deal than the uber cuvees. I have to admit I am not certain about it coming from a distinct vineyard or set of vines(Joe or Joe could tell us) but I don't think so. It's more vinification driven, with I believe longer fermentation and elevage. The 3.14, the Zaccherie, the roman number wines at their core are old vine cuvees. The Lapierre romaine comes for example from a set of very old vines on Py whereas his regular cuvee is from all over Morgon, so that is clearly very different, and it tastes it. I should know chapter in verse the details on vinification but don't.
 
'Lapierre romaine' - that's good. Is that we he calls them?

Here's what Joe's site says about Coudert's VT:

"Also, a few vintages ago, [Coudert] started a selection of old vines cuve that is partially aged in older oak barrels. They call this Cuve Tardive, meaning that it needs more aging time and has even greater longevity than the Clos cuve."

Cellar Tracker shows notes for a 'pinot-noir bourgougne' under Jean-Paul Brun's Terres Dorees label starting 2001. I know nothing more.

I've never had Thivin's Zaccherie, but am a fan of his regular CdB (I suppose this bottling is made with the Lynch blend).

Merci, autre fois.
 
Thanks BJ, good stuff. Look forward to drinking some wines together sometime.
Interesting thoughts about the super cuvees...In the other CdP where there is so much of that going on I've always thought they should just keep those wines for the basic and raise the bar of their basic wine. I have tons of respect for Donjon and VT, for example, for never going that route.
Brian C
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Curious about the Brun closures, as I've read a couple of 09 l'Ancienne notes on CellarTracker describing bottles with plastic corks. By the way, unrelated, who knew Brun makes a Bourgogne.
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The bottle of 2009 Brun l'Ancien I have here has a fake cork.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Fucking awesome!
That first picture (tree lined lane) is world class.
Best, Jim
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When Jim starts dropping the F-bomb, you know it's on.

Well played, BJ.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
'Lapierre romaine' - that's good. Is that we he calls them?

Here's what Joe's site says about Coudert's VT:

"Also, a few vintages ago, [Coudert] started a selection of old vines cuve that is partially aged in older oak barrels. They call this Cuve Tardive, meaning that it needs more aging time and has even greater longevity than the Clos cuve."

Cellar Tracker shows notes for a 'pinot-noir bourgougne' under Jean-Paul Brun's Terres Dorees label starting 2001. I know nothing more.

I've never had Thivin's Zaccherie, but am a fan of his regular CdB (I suppose this bottling is made with the Lynch blend).

Merci, autre fois.
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I made up the romaine thing. Seemed convenient.

Oh, sorry, I forgot the Pinot Noir is a bourgogne (or, is it?). JP makes a pinot from a plot right in Charnay.
 
Great writeup and pictures, thanks! My wife and I just went on our first trip to France (travel noobs) and had 3 of the wines in Paris that you tasted at the domaines. My experiences were right in line with yours, especially with the '08 Lapierre Morgon and the '09 JP Thevenet Morgon "Le Clachet" which I assume was the young-vine cuve you mention. I found the latter especially bright and forward yet still balanced. We also had an '06 3.14 over the course of two nights, and it just confused me. The first night it was dark, stony and quite closed. It barely started to open up with air and we were tired so decided to save the rest for the next night. Sadly, it had really fallen apart on day 2 and was harsh and pruney. I'm not sure what that says about aging potential, but I do wish I had more bottles to learn with.
 
yes, j-p brun makes pinot noir bourgogne. pinot noir is a permited grape in beaujolais, and to confuse things further, wine-wise, beaujolais is part of burgundy.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
so is 'le morgon' in morgon still on the radar screen?

i've seen a few accounts of visits to beaujolais without this restaurant being mentioned. my dinner there in 2006 was wonderful, in a rather off-the-beaten-path, local authenticity sort of way.
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We wanted to get there but somehow didn't. The vignerons didn't really talk about it.
 
originally posted by robert ames:
so is 'le morgon' in morgon still on the radar screen?

i've seen a few accounts of visits to beaujolais without this restaurant being mentioned. my dinner there in 2006 was wonderful, in a rather off-the-beaten-path, local authenticity sort of way.
Click to expand...

We wanted to get there but somehow didn't. The vignerons didn't really talk about it.
 
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