Good review Robert. Our “poor country lawyer” as he calls himself hooked me up with a bottle of Metras recently. It was the first time I had ever had this wine. I like me some BoJo, Foillard Cote du Py is possibly my favorite wine. I have a good amount in my cellar and I keep asking myself why I do not have even more, so I was excited to try the Metras. And then I had to shrug my shoulders. Don’t get me wrong, it was good. And I had no idea of the price until after I drank it and Robert told me. But at the same price as Cote du Py, I buy it all day long over the Metras. The fruit was good and in my face. But, it just did not have the depth that I find in a Foillard.
I’m fairly new to Bojo, but I’ll throw in my two cents. For some background, I love the best of the wines from the region with Coudert’s Tardive from classic vintages being right in my wheelhouse. My experience with Foillard is the 11 and 14 Corcelette, while with Metras it’s the 12 and 14 Fleurie and the 14 Printemps. I think both producers are excellent and plan to buy and drink both, but I find the Metras wines to be better - there’s a complexity and texture to them that I haven’t found elsewhere in Bojo, except maybe the best Tardives (similar complexity, but Metras teture is unmatched), I’ve had. I got the 14 Metras Fleurie for about $50 and I think the quality for the price is excellent - I would say better than I could get for the same price in Red Burg (which I love) or BDX (meh). If I was just going to go on pure QPR in the region, I’d only buy Tardive and Billards St. Amour - I find those wines as good or better than Foillard for less money. I’ve never had either the 3.14 or the l’Ultime, but I’d love to try both. I’m just not going to go hunting for them or spend the $ at that price point until I know it is something special.
Nice post, Seth. I think the Metras Fleurie 2015 and 2014 are spectacular, the 2015 showed better than this Ultime. It’s an easy buy. You need to try a 3.14. Have you tried Roilette’s Griffe du Marquis. Sounds like our taste parallels, try it!
Thanks Robert. I own the 10 and 14 Griffe, but plan to sit on them for a while, given the reviews I’ve read from those I trust. Overall, I’ve really disliked the 15 Bojos and have been backfilling the 14s. I’m tempted to try the 15 Metras Fleurie, but nervous about the vintage. Given what you are saying, maybe I need to take the plunge.
I dunno if I can really rank Metras vis-a-vis other Beaujolais producers - so many different personalities, really comes down to taste and what you’re in the mood for. But the Fleurie is top notch and the Ultime is a pretty serious upgrade over the Fleurie, IMO.
I think we are saying the same thing, Keith. Metras is a distinct Beaujolais. I will buy the 2015 Ultime once released. Seems like Metras slays ripe vintages. But it is a big price.
Yes. For around the same price, I can buy Hudelot-Noellat Vosne Romanee or Chambolle Musigny or, closer to Robert’s heart, 2014 Domaine de Chevalier. Pass.
When I bought Printemps in France it was about 8 euros. Clearly some people in the US are willing to pay for the Metras name… but don’t judge Metras by Printemps. It’s a glou glou wine, not even close to the level of the Fleurie or Ultime.
+1 on that. Keith’s comment reminded me that I forgot to note that the 14 Printemps wasn’t impressive at all compared to the 12 (quite good) and 14 Fleurie (excellent).
I’m gonna eat my words. This wine is excellent and worth the price.
So I’ve been jonesing for a Beaujolais all day ever since watching William Kelley’s cool video tasting clip on 2018 Metras, Bouland and Foillard. Extremely well done, if you like these wines, definitely check it out.
Marcus asked me if I preferred Metras young, which I do. As I am looking through my Beaujolais stash, this 2014 of Metras’ flagship wine popped out at me. I honestly had no recollection of having had it before, and now as I am into my second glass, I see that I have, and wrote about it here.
And while I really prefer my Metras baby fresh (bear in mind that I have not had one with more than 4-5 years on it), this l’Ultime has clearly benefited from a few years in the bottle. A more fully-bodied, meaty expression of Metras, sappy, tangy with a blood red citrus note. Crushed cold river stones. Using William’s reference points, Metras to me seems to float more to the grenache spectrum of fruit quality, while this version is more to the pinot spectrum. Alcohol so perfectly in check at a labeled 12.5%, no spikey heat, just perfectly in balance. While the acids are notable, this wine has a deeper, more rounded quality than most Metras that I have had. Some chewiness on the backside, suggesting a few more years may develop this wine further.
(94 pts.)
Thanks for the updates…I’m still sitting on my remaining bottles and feel lucky to have a magnum of this from 2011 that I’m thinking will be opened sometime in 2026 or later.
Second night, 1/4 bottle left, was sensational. One of those wines that I for sure wish I had bought more. Much more.
just saw the 18 for $106 
Ouch.
I was even offered the 3.14 for less than that. I passed, and am sorta regretting it now.
Quite envious of this bottle. It’s not very easy to find. I get a grotesquely large annual allocation from an agent in the Beaujolais but never any Ultime.
I just saw that I have one left. So I guess I bought a three-pack and had sorta forgot about it. Now I definitely want some more recent vintages.
There will be stocks available, it is still early.
Métras distribution is a little obtuse, but you will find what you need.
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