by David N » Tue Aug 24, 2010 1:00 pm
Some notes on the Beaujolais we tasted in Paris in June. Note that the prices quoted are in Euros.
Domaine des Rosiers Chenas 2007. 9.50
Very good straightforward Beaujolais. Clean raspberry nose. Solid fruit and well balanced, although without much in the way of complexity. Will be better with another year or two under its belt.
Dom. Jocelyne Depardon & Erick Coperet Fleurie 2005 12.00
Cru Beaujolais with 5 years of age. One of the best Beaujolais that we have enjoyed. Nose of red fruit, more raspberry than strawberry. Medium weight and totally refreshing to drink. Medium weight and elegant. Slipped down like silk, with each taste better than the last. This is not a producer that we have heard of, and is probably all consumed in France. Domage!
Jean Foillard Morgon “Cote de Py” 2008 18.90
This sort of wine shows just how good a Beaujolais can be. Medium red colour with a nose of redcurrants and raspberry. Medium weight and layered with fruit and a little earthiness. Beautifully balanced with soft tannins. The fruit carries through on to the 30 second finish. Will surely improve for a few more years and could well be a 10 year wine. The Fleurie we had the other night was like a woman in her early thirties, elegant, sophisticated and totally feminine. This Morgon was a 24 year old fit male, exuding confidence, but needing a few more years to gain full maturity. There were, happily, traces of his partner’s perfume nicely softening his harder edges.
G. Descombes Morgon V.V. 2006 17.00
Medium red colour. Raspberry fruit but unbalanced by an excess of acidity, presumably as a result of the vintage. Quite drinkable with food, but always that unsettling edge of acidity.
M. Lapierre Morgon 2008 17.85
Young, but very approachable. Nice raspberry fruit with enough concentration to make it very interesting. No sign of the excess acidity of the 2006 Descombes. Why are these Morgons so under-rated? They are every bit as interesting as village level Burgundies at half the price. This wine had great balance and carried it’s fruit right through the finish. Excellent.
M. Lapierre MMIII 25.65
This wine is Lapierre’s luxury cuvee made only in outstanding years (the next one is MMVII). Classified as Vin de Table. Made from 100 year-old vines, compared to the regular cuvee’s average 45 years. As good as the regular Morgon was, this was in a different league. The nose was all redcurrants with a hint of raspberry. Same fruit in the mouth plus just a hint of anise, with a concentration and complexity that we had never before experienced in a Beaujolais. Even a Morgon which I had drunk in the 1970’s, and which was a gold medal winner in Burgundy, paled in comparison. This is serious, serious wine. It didn’t try to be Burgundy, it just was the quintessence of Gamay.