Wine Focus - Wine 202 GaMay!

...I enjoy it a lot as a quaffing wine.

That works!

[Robin Garr]

Simply one of the best Beaujolais-Villages I've ever tasted. Highly recommended.

Jean Bererd et Fils 2019 Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais-Villages Le Perréon ($14.99)

Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais-Villages Le Perréon shows a dark reddish-purple color in the glass. A whiff of fresh wild strawberries, typical of Gamay, comes up at first when this wine is poured, but with time in the glass it gives way to a more interesting mix of red and black fruit and a sudden jolt of anise. Beautifully balanced on the palate with 13% acidity, it offers bright and juicy berry fruit, bone-dry and free of oak, laced up by brisk acidity, with soft, subtle tannins providing additional structure alongside stony minerality in the long finish. Organically grown on high-altitude granite vineyards adjacent to Fleurie. U.S. importer: Skurnik Wines, NYC. (April 24, 2021)

FOOD MATCH: Beaujolais is the local wine region for Lyon, arguably France's second food city after Paris, and as such, its more elegant renditions like this one are widely versatile with food, from roast pork or poultry to cheeses and pasta dishes like our choice, a gently spicy bucatini all'amatriciana.

WHEN TO DRINK: Beaujolais-Villages by tradition is not a long ager, but this one's fruit, structure, and balance suggests that there's no need to worry about it falling apart over the next few years. It's at a lovely peak, but might reward aging for five years or more if you have excellent cellar conditions.

VALUE:
It's a remarkable value at my local price, which comes close to Wine-Searcher.com's $14 average U.S. retail, and it's widely available for even less.

WEB LINK:
This fact sheet from importer Skurnik Wines gives a good overview of Domaine de la Madone and its owners.

Domaine de la Madone also has an engaging website in French and English. Here's the English-language page.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Domaine de la Madone Beaujolais-Villages Le Perréon on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about Beaujolais-Villages and find listings for dozens of other wines of the region at this Wine-Searcher link.

Learn more about Gamay at this Wine-Searcher link, with vendor and price information for dozens of Gamay wines.

[David M. Bueker]

• 2019 Domaine Thillardon Chénas Chassignol - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chénas (5/16/2021)
  This would appear to be on the more "natural" side of the spectrum, but since I have a good cellar it's no issue. Bright, clear red raspberry fruit belies a cloudy appearance that would suggest something with a little more funk. It goes more towards cranberry on the finish, and there's a hint of tannin, but structure is mostly from the bright acidity. Not sure I would risk aging a wine like this, but it tastes very nice now.

[Jenise]

2016 Jean Sambardier Beaujolais-Villages Gamay
Plucked out of a sale bin for $4 in a tiny Montana town last week and served lightly chilled. Taupe-y colored, with notes of strawberry, hay, and that geranium leaf thing identified by Dale W. It got better with air but needed food, and we finished it before it fully opened up (presuming it would). Still, heckuva deal.

Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernières Les Impenitents 2018 - Desvignes is a family of Morgon vignerons from the 18th century. Javernieres is a lieu-dit, while the Impenitents is the top wine from Javernieres with some vines over 100 years old.

Aromas of chocolate covered cherries and iron. Pretty vibrant but also quite deep and serious. Rather savoury and dry. Dried herbs and strawberries and cherries dominate the palate. There's a little bit of heat (14% abv) but it blows off after a bit. Some air brings out some sweet spice notes. There is a bit of tannin action going on. Good length. Rather surprised I drank it so fast.

This is about as serious as a Beaujolais can get. Very good, and nice to drink now, but will no doubt reward some ageing.

[Jenise]

Jay, that sounds absolutely lovely. Not a bottling I've seen over here (yet), but obviously drinking well for such a young Morgon. (And a whole lot better than my Clos Roilettes.)

They also do a good Morgon Cote de Py which is more juicy and less deep. I've had Roilettes, but many years back. I remember it being somewhat funky.

[Jenise]

I've had great Roilettes but I'm not a fan of the '18. Or at least the regular, haven't tried the Tardive yet. When I first read your note on this wine for a sec I thought you were writing about Jean-Louis Dutraive (Domaine de la Grand'Cour)--I don't speak French and throw in two names, one of them a 'Louis' and add a long 'D' word and I'm easily confused. Obviously not the same wine but what you describe is very similar to my experience with the '18 Dutraive, for what that's worth, in the "about as serious as Beaujolais gets" department.

Desvignes is imported to the US by Dressner, so should be possible to find.

2013 Coudert Griffe du Marquis Fleurie
Lovely. I bought a bunch on release and at a certain point they had gotten all bound up in the structure. But this is my last bottle and is clearly moving well past that tight stage. Dark sweet fruit but with suave grip in the texture as the bottle-aged harmony is arriving! Still some freshness on the finish, so it's not going anywhere. If anything, the slightly crunchy snap on the finish makes me suspect it has more resolving to do. But, I was happy to drink it and enjoy it. So no regrets!

2013 G Descombes Morgon VV
This bottling has been a good friend to me over the years; so elegant and enjoyable. Unfortunately, this last bottle was marred by brett and I have no more! Underneath I could still get elements of the gorgeous evolved Descombes Morgon that I love so much. But the brett was too strong and not worth it for me to drink. I opened something else instead.

2015 Joseph Drouhin Domaine de Hospices de Belleville, Fleurie

Dark, dense ruby red color, quite some legs. Lots of sediment.
On the nose cherry and white pepper. On the palate minerals and again cherry, some liquorice and forest floor. Short finish.

Quite nice and a perfect match for Adas Polo with chicken.

2018 Malivoire Small Lot Gamay, VDA Niagara Escarpment.

The only Malivoire wine I have been really impressed with is the 2012 Cab Franc which is not produced every year. But with this interesting Gamay theme, thought I would splurge out.
SC, $26 Cda, 12% alc, served slightly chilled after looking at the light color.
Pretty well easy-drinking style I think, needs more bumpf! Strawberry, cherry, did not agree with fellow taster..."tart red fruits". Low tannins, light finish, some cranberry on day 2 but overall not much to enjoy here. Pity.

Touraine produces some excellent wines from Gamay and Henry Marionnet is probably its best known producer. I place this definitely in the fun category with just a touch of seriousness to heighten the fun.

2019 Domaine de la Charmoise Touraine Première Vendange - France, Loire Valley, Touraine (24/05/2021)
Previous vintages have been absolutely delightful at about 12 months old with a superb combination of fruity and mineral zest with purity but seemed to tire somewhat after a few months. This 2019 was perhaps slightly less zestful than some of its predecessors at 12 months but has held up better still showing berry fruit veering to plum, earthy minerals, decent acidity and backbone but deepening a little with prune touches joining the plum. Dangerously moreish. Very good.
Posted from CellarTracker

[David M. Bueker]

2009 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (5/31/2021)
Ripe strawberries grown in a horse barn. No thanks.

2009 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (5/31/2021)
Ripe strawberries grown in a horse barn. No thanks.

Ouch. That's too bad.

[David M. Bueker]

2009 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (5/31/2021)
Ripe strawberries grown in a horse barn. No thanks.

Ouch. That's too bad.

Even worse is I have two more. Fingers crossed.