Wines like this make me ask myself: Why don’t I drink more aged Cru Beaujolais? I guess because there isn’t that much of it around. But wow, this is fantastic!
A humongous amount of sediment in the bottle. But once poured off, the wine looks clear and youthful, no bricking at all. Smells young, lively, and utterly Burgundian (I know it technically is Burgundian, but you know what I mean). The nose is evenly split between cool red fruits and bitter herbs. The first fruit I smell is cranberry, followed by cherry. Maybe it’s just the upcoming holidays on my mind, but I definitely smell that Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce out of a can. The herbal notes are bitter, reminds me of the time I bought a pound of cinchona bark to make homemade tonic- a very distinctive smell. The tonic was a fail btw.
In the mouth, the entry is driven by fresh acidity. It tastes very youthful, and the red fruits are there immediately. The tannins are present, but very fine grained and gentle. The body is very light but not thin. The finish emphasizes the bitter herbal notes that were present on the nose. I would guess this wine has at least another 5 years in the tank, but for my palate, it’s drinking perfectly now. This is some great stuff!
June 2011 - Beaujolais horizontale in 76 wines … 3 sessions … and a brilliant winner : 50. Moulin-à-Vent : Paul Janin “Clos du Tremblay” 1991
L’après-midi : DS15,5/16+.
Le soir : DS17 - LG17 - MS17,5 - MF17,5 - PR17/17,5. Note moyenne SOIR : 17,3
On franchit ici un cap en découvrant une expression verticale, vigoureuse, épanouie.
Fondu tertiaire de grande classe, subtilement faisandé, empyreumatique, alliant de beaux parfums de cassis (la jeunesse du vin est encore là), d’herbes aromatiques, d’épices subtiles et variées. On revient longuement sur cet éventail aromatique complexe.
Bouche savoureuse, au fruit vibrant, très digeste, pour une plénitude de chair remarquable (tendre et forte à la fois). On a ici affaire à un vin fin, superbement complexifié par l’âge (mais ayant gardé ses vertus de jeunesse), excellent, possédant des qualités d’équilibre, de finesse tannique, de longueur. Bel enthousiasme autour de la table, sous forme de discussions endiablées pour les uns, de chair de poule pour les autres.
This can easily age … age giving (it is often true for traditional Rioja too) the impression of an elegant pinot noir …
An example : Beaujolais Choix de Pasquier-Desvignes 1967 (thought Chambolle-Musigny)