I have a special place in my heart for Cru Beaujolais. However, that place is exclusively for Bojos that adhere to this very specific style of wine that fits my ideal of Gamay: fresh, fruity, packing good flavor intensity and high acidity. Tannins can be anything from non-existent to tough and assertive - here I tolerate a lot of variation.
However, what I don’t tolerate is high alcohol and lack of acidity. My optimal Gamay is more red-toned than dark-toned, but I’m willing to let darker-toned Gamays pass if they have sufficient acidity and low levels of alcohol - otherwise they start to taste all too Rhône-y for me. Nothing wrong in liking those wines - I understand how many people find these wines impressive and delicious, some even superior to those lighter iterations. However, to me, these wines simply cease to be typical of both the variety and region, which is a big minus in my books. I simply want my Cru Bojo taste like the style of wine I fell in love with! If I want to have a wine that tastes like Grenache, I’d rather buy a Grenache than a Gamay - these ripe, big wines just fill a very different need. To me, drinking a soft, 14% ABV Chénas feels as wrong as drinking a jammy, oaky and gloopy Grand Cru Burgundy.
And this is why I always happily attend any and all Cru Beaujolais tastings that come my way! If you can’t buy all the Bojos out there, it’s always good to taste which are the names and vintages one can trust and which one should avoid. A friend of mine (who also arranged this wonderful Cypriot wine tasting) threw this Bojo tasting last summer. Definitely an excellent opportunity to check how the old, classically styled vintages are holding up and, in contrast, how the more recent vintages are shaping up!
And, as almost always, we had a few extra blind wines after the tasting proper!
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2014 Jean-Claude Lapalu Brouilly Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (4.6.2022)
100% Gamay from biodynamically grown vineyards. As Lapalu has only old vineyards in Brouilly, all fruit that goes into Vieilles Vignes bottling is made with grapes sourced exclusively from +50 yo vineyards. Fermented spontaneously employing semi-carbonic maceration over two weeks. Aged for 6 months in concrete tanks. Bottled without fining or filtration, except for the last 10% in the tanks. Typically either vinified without any added SO2 or the wines get a tiny addition of 10-15 mg/l upon bottling. 12% alcohol.
Quite translucent raspberry red color. The nose feels playful and fragrant with quite floral aromas of raspberries and wild strawberries, some perfumed nuances of wild summer flowers, a little bit of kirsch, light brambly notes of blackberries and a faint sweet hint of volatile lift. The wine feels dry, fresh and lively on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of fresh boysenberries and blueberries, some lifted floral notes, a little bit of kirsch, light sweet nuances of ripe raspberries, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of something vaguely metallic. The the structure relies mostly on the quite high acidity, as the tannins feel quite gentle and resolved in texture. The finish is juicy, bright and quite long with youthful flavors of fresh red berries and darker plummy tones, a little bit of ripe boysenberry, light blueberry tones, a floral hint of violets and a touch of something metallic.
A very nice, classically built and very attractive Gamay that is very true to the appellation; the wine is bright, fresh and fruit-driven, yet coming across more as dry and crunchy rather than very fruity or candied in character. The only little distraction here is that subtly metallic nuance that slides in and out of taste. For a Gamay that is eight years old, this is still remarkably youthful and most likely the wine will continue to evolve nicely over another half a decade or even more, and will keep just fine for much longer. Lovely stuff.
(91 points) -
2020 Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly Le Clos Bertrand - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côte de Brouilly (4.6.2022)
A blend of Gamay (99%) and Chardonnay (1%) from a walled Clos at the foot of Mt. Brouilly. The grapes are partially destemmed, macerated with the skins for two weeks and aged for 7-9 months in large oak casks. 14% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and only slightly translucent ruby red with youthful, purplish highlights. The nose feels quite closed and even somewhat reductive at first with just understated nuances of smoke and peppery spice, but with some air the nose opens up, revealing aromas of fresh blueberries and red cherries, some sweeter nuances of ripe dark fruits, a little bit of sappy herbal spice, light perfumed notes of violets, a perfumed hint of violets and a touch of peppery spice. The wine feels firm yet fruity on the palate with a medium body and bright yet slightly reductive flavors of ripe boysenberries and tart lingonberries, some smoky and peppery notes of reduction, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light blueberry tones, a hint of sappy herbal spice and a touch of blood. Even after some aeration the wine retains a somewhat reductive and slightly peppery overall character. The structure feels pretty tightly-knit, thanks to its high acidity and light yet enjoyably firm tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and subtly grippy with bright flavors of tart lingonberries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of blueberry, light sweeter and almost candied nuances of red-toned primary fruit, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of gravelly minerality.
This wine was still quite closed and somewhat reductive, thanks to its young age, lending a surprisingly Syrah-like overall character to the wine. However, even if there was some reduction, the wine never felt muted or skunky - just somewhat understated compared to the potential brimming underneath. What's best, though, was how the alcohol never really showed through, even if it is higher than I'd like it to be - at least on paper. All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable and very balanced Thivin that shows good potential for future development and it really calls for at least a few years of additional aging before it is in its drinking window. For those who are patient; this wine will keep on improving for another decade, or even more. There is no hurry whatsoever with this wine - expect the score to go up as the wine ages.
(90 points) -
2016 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Côte de Brouilly - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côte de Brouilly (4.6.2022)
The fruit is sourced from old, +50 yo vineyards. All fruit is destemmed, fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for three weeks in concrete tanks and aged for 6 months in same concrete tanks. Bottled with a minimal dose of SO2. 12,5% alcohol.
Moderately evolved and somewhat translucent dried blood-red color with a quite maroon hue. The nose feels surprisingly developed and even slightly oxidative with aromas of wizened dark berries, some soy sauce, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light plummy or pruney tones and a hint of meat stew. The wine is textural, savory and quite tertiary on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of wizened dark fruits, some raisiny tones, a little bit of meat consommé, light earthy nuances, a hint of peppery spice and an oxidative touch of rancio. The wine is high in acidity with firm medium tannins. The finish is dry, slightly grippy and moderately tertiary with flavors of ripe dark berries, some oxidative notes of meat stew and soy sauce, a little bit of raisiny dark fruit, light pruney tones and a hint of earthy spice.
I've had some very bad luck with this particular label and vintage. I love Brun's wines, but this was now the second disappointing 2016 Côte de Brouilly by J. P. Brun - the first one was corked, this was prematurely oxidized. Having drunk many Brun's Crus Beaujolaises with more age, it's obvious that this wine should've been just fine at just under 6 years. I have no idea whether the wine was cooked at some point or if the cork was compromised, but it's obvious this was another defective bottle. A shame!
(NR/flawed) -
2016 Daniel Bouland Morgon Les Délys Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4.6.2022)
I've understood this is a distinct wine from the "Vignes plantées en 1926" bottling, which is made only with one very old plot in Delys, whereas this Vieilles Vignes is made with fruit sourced from older, slightly less old (but still very old vineyards). Or then Bouland just makes the same wine with two different labels? Anyways, the fruit is 100% whole bunch fermented (ie. carbonic), finished with a spontaneous fermentation while macerating on the skins. Aged in old oak foudres. Bottled either unfiltered or with a light filtration. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, deep and slightly translucent blackish-red with faint violet highlights. The nose feels youthful and fragrant, but also very slightly odd with somewhat sweetish aromas of boysenberries and bilberries, a little bit of beet root, light cherry tones, a faint hint of pickle and a touch of crunchy red fruit. The wine feels ripe, youthful and lively on the palate with dry and crunchy flavors of blueberries and boysenberries, some cherry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light umami notes of rare meat, a hint of earth and a faint touch of pickle. The overall feel is firm and structured with high acidity and somewhat grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, savory and somewhat grippy with dark-toned flavors of ripe bilberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light earthy nuances, a hint of fresh cherry and a touch of sappy herbal character.
An enjoyably firm, fresh and rather serious Beaujolais with a still very youthful overall character. The nose felt a bit weird, though, with its undertones of beet and pickle, which really feel a bit out-of-place in a Cru Beaujolais. However, the wine seemed quite promising, seeing how still very youthful and tightly-knit it felt at the age of just 6 years. I hope that pickle note was just an odd curiosity that either was unique to our bottle or will fade away with age. Without that pickle note the wine would've gained probably another point or three.
(89 points) -
2012 Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Côte du Py - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4.6.2022)
100% whole-bunch fruit from organically grown 50-yo vineyards. A week or two of carbonic maceration followed by a couple of weeks of spontaneous fermentation on the skins. Fermented and aged in concrete tanks, although in some years some barrel-aged wines can be blended in. 2012 was a difficult vintage in Beaujolais, plagued by continuous rains. As the grapes struggled to ripen, the yields were on average the lowest in 40 years, resulting in very structured and concentrated reds. 13% alcohol.
The wine is dark and somewhat translucent, blackish-red in color with a more evolved brick-red hue towards the rim. The nose feels fine-tuned and slightly evolved with sweetly-fruited aromas of dark forest fruits and strawberries, some wizened red plums, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light sappy herbal notes and a lifted hint of balsamic richness. The wine is clean, dry and focused on the palate with a moderately full body and savory flavors of dark forest fruits and earth, some autumnal notes of damp leaves, light brambly notes of fresh raspberries, a little bit of old leather, tart hints of cranberries and lingonberries and a touch of meaty umami. The overall feel is still quite structure-driven with the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, dry and quite grippy with savory flavors of tart cranberries and meaty umami, some brambly notes of raspberries, a little bit of wild strawberry, light blueberry tones, a hint of earth and a touch of balancing bitterness.
Some eight years ago, when I last tasted this wine, it seemed to be quite forbidding, but I thought it seemed to be full of promise. Well, apparently I was right, as now the wine was still relatively tightly-knit and structure-driven, yet not that tough and forbidding as it was, but instead quite attractively nuanced with flavors ranging from fresh and fruity to earthy and autumnal. Although the wine is starting to show some age, it feels the wine is still on an upward trajectory; most likely the wine will keep on evolving for some years and keep just fine for many years more. Terrific value at 20,20€.
(92 points) -
2016 Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernières - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4.6.2022)
Made with organically farmed fruit sourced from 40-yo vineyards in the historic Javernières lieu-dit at the foot of the Côte du Py hill. 20% of the fruit is destemmed, the rest is whole bunches. The wine is vinified over 1-2 weeks using semi-carbonic maceration and submerged cap method in open-top concrete fermentors. Aged for 9 months in concrete tanks. 13% alcohol.
Luminous and somewhat translucent dark ruby color. Subtly sweet nose with slightly restrained aromas of ripe forest fruits and blueberries, some raspberry juice, a little bit of crunchy crowberry, light juicy notes of black cherries, a herbal hint of stemmy greenness lending an almost green dill-like touch to the nose, along with a floral touch of elderflowers. With all its sweet, herby and floral nuances, the overall impression is wonderfully attractive. The wine feels dry, fresh and savory on the palate with a medium body and crunchy flavors of tart lingonberries and sour cherry bitterness, some ripe red plums, a little bit of wild strawberry, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of meaty umami and a juicy touch of fresh boysenberries. With some air the taste develops a more evolved, savory note of meat stew. The overall impression is wonderfully firm and structured, thanks to the high acidity and quite assertive and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, dry and quite grippy with a savory aftertaste of boysenberries, some sour red plums, a little bit of wild strawberry, light gravelly mineral tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of meaty umami.
A wonderfully firm, focused and structured Morgon that creates an impression of a fruity and easy wine with its fragrant nose, yet turns out to be very stern and sinewy on the palate. All in all, a very nuanced and impressive effort that manages to bring the best qualities of the classic (ie. not too hot) 2016 vintage into bottle. This is very lovely right now, but most likely the wine will evolve, gain complexity and perhaps also resolve its tightly-knit tannic structure a bit more, if left in a cellar. Fine stuff, highly recommended.
(93 points) -
2017 Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Montpelain - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4.6.2022)
Made with organically farmed fruit sourced from 75-yo vineyards in the Montpelain lieu-dit at the border between Morgon and Lancié. 10% of the fruit is destemmed, the rest is whole bunches. The wine is vinified over 1-2 weeks using semi-carbonic maceration and submerged cap method in open-top concrete fermentors. Aged for 7 months in concrete tanks. 13% alcohol.
Surprisingly deep and almost fully opaque blackish color with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. The youthful nose feels very ripe, sunny and very slightly plastic-y with somewhat GSM-like aromas of marmeladey red fruits, some blackberry jam, light liqueur-ish notes of VA, a hint of wizened black cherry and a touch of savory spice. The wine feels rich, very ripe and solar on the palate with a quite full and chewy body and bold, clean flavors of sweet dark plums and ripe black cherries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of marmaladey red fruit and a hint of boysenberry jam. The structure relies more on the moderately grippy medium tannins than on the rather soft medium-minus acidity, making the overall feel very round and silky smooth in texture, but also quite soft on the structure. The finish is rich, round and sweet-toned with some tannic grip and long, sunny flavors of soft strawberries and ripe dark plums, some blackberry jam, a little bit of liqueur-ish Chambord character, light marmaladey tones and a hint of licorice.
I love Gamay and Morgon usually is responsible of some of the best expressions of Gamay there are. However, this wine doesn't belong in that category; to me, Gamay is at its best when it is fresh and playful yet serious and structured - this is really none of those things. Sure, this is a fruity and approachable wine, and a very enjoyable at that, but it offers really nothing I look for in a Gamay. Honestly, to me, this feels more like a Southern Rhône GSM than a Cru Bojo. The alcohol isn't at the Châteauneuf-du-Pape level here, but beside that little fact, this is quite CdP stuff (no, not Côte du Py). With its very ripe fruit and somewhat modest acidity, I really don't see this wine aging particularly long, which is why I doubt any amount of aging is capable of conferring much finesse or complexity to this wine. I'm always happy to give Beaujolais 2017 and 2018 a chance, but very rarely they have managed to convince - these two really seem vintages I can easily skip without any fear of missing out.
(85 points) -
2020 Marcel Lapierre Morgon S - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4.6.2022)
The front label says just "Morgon Marcel Lapierre" the back label says "M20 VVS 09/03/21" with a small "S" in the lower left corner. In other words, this is a wine made with old-vine (70 yo) Gamay from Morgon, fermented spontaneously using semi-carbonic maceration for two to three weeks, vinified without any sulfites and aged for approximately half a year in old 216-liter oak pièces. Bottled on 9th of March 2021 with a tiny addition of SO2 (hence the "S" - the "N" bottling is for wines bottled without any SO2. 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous and quite translucent raspberry-red color with a youthful blueish hue. The nose feels very youthful and primary with somewhat candied aromas of boysenberry jam, some raspberry marmalade, a little bit of blueberry juice, light inky tones and a sweet hint of ripe strawberry. The wine is ripe, fresh and juicy on the palate with vibrant, fruit-driven flavors of raspberries, some boysenberries, light candied notes of red-toned primary fruit flavors, a little bit of bilberry and a hint of strawberry. The wine is moderately high in acidity with firm yet quite gentle medium tannins. The finish is long, ripe and juicy with a little bit of tannic grip and a fruity aftertaste of boysenberries, some raspberry marmalade, a little bit of cherry juice, light candied notes of strawberry jelly and a hint of savory spice.
A nice, juicy and very youthful Morgon from the very fruit-driven end of the spectrum. It is to be noted, however, that the wine is all too young at the moment, contributing to the super fruit-forward overall character to the wine, which makes it feel eminently approachable, but also somewhat banal at the same time. Fortunately the wine comes across as very balanced and it seems to hold good promise for the future, so I imagine this wine is just too young for its good at the moment and it will get its game together in a few years. Although the wine can be enjoyed already now, I recommend to let the wine wait at least a handful of years more, so it can drop most of its candied primary fruit and gain some finesse in the process.
(88 points) -
2011 Marcel Lapierre Morgon S - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4.6.2022)
The front label says just "Morgon Marcel Lapierre" the back label says "M11 TRS 08/05/12" with a small "S" in the lower left corner. In other words, this is a wine made with old-vine (65 yo) Gamay from Morgon, fermented spontaneously using semi-carbonic maceration for two to three weeks, vinified without any sulfites and aged for approximately half a year in old 216-liter oak pièces. ottled on 8th of May 2012 with a tiny addition of SO2 (hence the "S" - the "N" bottling is for wines bottled without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol.
Quite translucent raspberry-red color with a little bit of evolved bricking towards the rim and a tiny bit of haze from the deposit. The nose feels savory, somewhat evolved and a bit reticent with fine-tuned aromas of ripe dark berries, some game, a little bit of blueberry juice, light autumnal notes of damp leaves and sous-bois, a hint of ripe plummy fruit and a touch of fresh red berries. The wine feels dense, earthy and complex on the palate with a medium body and somewhat evolved flavors of ripe dark forest fruits, some autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of juicy dark fruit, light earthy notes, a hint of wizened red berries and a developed touch of old leather. The wine has an attractive, open-knit texture and quite firm structure, thanks to its high acidity and still moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a dry, layered aftertaste of ripe red fruits, some autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light leathery nuances and a hint of earth.
This was a tasty, fine-tuned, maybe a bit restrained yet still enjoyably complex Cru Beaujolais, packing that firm structural feel of a classic Morgon with more evolved, savory flavors. Although showing some age, the wine still doesn't feel any bit too old and most likely is capable of evolving even further from here, although I must say the wine doesn't really call for any additional cellaring and is drinking might well right now. All in all, this was a very enjoyable and harmonious effort and a great example why one should age their Cru Bojos and not just smash them when they're too young.
(92 points) -
2016 Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée Camille - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (4.6.2022)
This is a special Lapierre cuvée made with fruit sourced from a 1-hectare vineyard and named after both the daughter and the father of Marcel Lapierre. Fermented spontaneously in tronconic open-top vats using semi-carbonic maceration for 24 days, vinified without any sulfites and aged for approximately 9 months in old 216-liter oak pièces. The back label says "M16 CAM 01/07/17", meaning the wine is bottled on 1st of July 2017 with a tiny addition of SO2. 13% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent and very slightly hazy cherry red color with a slightly evolved brick-red hue towards the rim. The nose feels fragrant, concentrated and very subtly lifted with an overall character that is neither young nor old; there are aromas of ripe dark forest fruits, some floral notes of violets, a little bit of sweet plummy fruit, light lifted nuances of ethery VA, a hint of peppered meat and a touch of fresh bilberry. The wine is clean, vibrant and quite intense on the palate with a medium body and juicy flavors of boysenberries and cherries, some blueberry juice, a little bit of meaty umami, light floral notes of violets, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of brambly raspberry. The mouthfeel is silky smooth yet firm with high acidity and ripe, textural medium tannins. The finish is long, savory and gently grippy with a dry yet juicy aftertaste of ripe, brambly forest fruits, some meaty umami, a little bit of wild strawberry, light floral notes of violets, a hint of raspberry and a touch of stony minerality.
A beautiful, fragrant and classically built Cru Beaujolais with wonderful sense of finesse and purity of fruit. Compared to the 2011 Lapierre Morgon S that was tasted alongside, this wine is perhaps a bit softer, silkier and less structured, but shows more depth, intensity and vibrancy of fruit. Both wines are truly delicious and eminently drinkable, but if push came to shove, I'd say this wine wins by a hair's breadth. A thoroughly delightful, classically built and enormously enjoyable Bojo that has entered its drinking window, but will keep on improving for years more. Highly recommended.
(93 points) -
2019 Domaine Mee Godard Moulin-à-Vent Au Michelon - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (4.6.2022)
Made with organically farmed fruit from lieu-dit Au Michelon in Moulin-à-Vent. About half of the fruit is destemmed and half vinified using semi-carbonic maceration. First the grapes are cold-soaked for a short period, followed by about two weeks of fermentation in concrete tanks. Aged in a combination of vessels, primarily old, neutral oak barrels. Vinified with a minimum amount of SO2. 14% alcohol.
Youthful, moderately translucent and very luminous cherry-red color with a colorless rim. The nose feels clean, fragrant and very attractive with fruit-driven aromas of ripe boysenberries and blueberries, some blackberry tones, a little bit of red cherry, light gravelly mineral nuances and a hint of alcohol warmth. The wine is feels ripe, clean and very textural on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and remarkably umami-rich flavors of savory meaty character, juicy strawberry, some earthy tones, a little bit of ripe boysenberry, light extracted notes of peppery spice, licorice and subtle bitterness, a sweet hint of ripe blueberry and a touch of alcohol warmth. The wine doesn't feel heavy, but there's definitely some tactile textural feel here. Fortunately the moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance and the ripe medium tannins lends some nice firmness to the palate. The finish is rich, juicy and quite round with a moderately long aftertaste of sweetish, dark-toned berries, some plummy fruit, a little bit of sappy herbal spice, light blueberry nuances, a hint of alcohol heat and a touch of extracted bitterness.
This was an interesting effort. The wine is undeniably quite ripe with its high alcohol, rather dark-toned fruit and quite textural, extract-rich mouthfeel, yet the wine is at the time wonderfully vibrant, fresh and balanced with great purity and intensity of that classic Gamay fruit. It might be a tad too burly and alcoholic for my preference, but the combination of very savory, umami-rich flavors of vibrant, pure fruit works really well. I guess in a cooler vintage this would be nothing short of outstanding, but perhaps this 2019 vintage was a tiny bit too big in the end. Nevertheless, this was an impressive and enjoyable effort and a great introduction to Godard's wines. Recommended.
(91 points) -
2011 Domaine Richard Rottiers Moulin-à-Vent Champ de Cour - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (4.6.2022)
100% organically farmed old-vine Gamay from the 70-yo Champ de Cour lieu-dit. Vinified partly in whole bunched (carbonic maceration) and partly with destemmed fruit. Macerated for two weeks with the skins, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Moderately translucent and somewhat evolved black cherry color with a pale brick-red rim. The nose feels sweet, fragrant and quite ripe with somewhat toasty aromas of sweet oak spice and chocolatey mocha character, some juicy plummy tones, a little bit of caramel, light blueberry juice tones, a hint of cedar and a touch of brambly blackberry. The wine is rich, dry and somewhat woody on the palate with a full body and quite intense flavors of wizened black cherries, some toasty mocha oak spice, a little bit of caramel, light plummy tones, a hint of cedar and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is not just somewhat oaky, but also relatively structured for a Bojo with the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, juicy and quite grippy with dry and somewhat woody flavors of toasty oak spice and chocolatey mocha oak, some caramel, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light sweet nuances of wizened dark plums, a hint of savory woody oak and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A surprisingly big and oaky Cru Bojo with quite an impressive structure. Although the wine appears somewhat evolved, its nose and taste reveal it is anything but - the structure shows no signs of resolution and the surprisingly pronounced oak character still has a lot of way to go before one could call it well-integrated. After several Beaujolais wines with very minimal oak influence - or not at all - this wine came across as surprisingly toasty and even atypically toasty for a Bojo. I hope the oak would be able to integrate better with the fruit as the wine ages, as the wine came across as a bit too glossy, rich and oaky for my preference, even if the overall feel was still quite impressive and enjoyably structured.
(87 points) -
2011 Domaine Labruyere Moulin-à-Vent Clos du Moulin à Vent - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (4.6.2022)
Made with old-vine fruit sourced from the 60-yo monopole lieu-dit Le Clos du Moulin-à-Vent covering 0,92 hectares. 100% of the fruit is destemmed and fermented in concrete tanks. Aged in French oak barrels (10% new) for 16 months, the blended together in a concrete tank and aged for another 2 months. 13% alcohol.
Concentrated, dense and quite fully opaque black cherry color with an evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels sweet and somewhat matured with slightly tertiary aromas of raisiny dark fruits and some prunes, a little bit of ripe black cherry, light toasty notes of mocha oak, a hint of balsamic richness, a toasty touch of chocolatey oak and a whiff of fresh bilberry. The wine is dense, firm and chewy on the palate with a medium body and intense, dry flavors of juicy black cherries, some balsamic notes, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light gravelly mineral nuances, a hint of cacao nibs and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine feels enjoyably structured and still relatively tightly-knit with its high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, quite grippy and moderately evolved with rather intense flavors of wizened dark berries, some balsamic richness, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light gravelly mineral nuances, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a ferrous touch of blood.
A bold, muscular and somewhat modern Cru Beaujolais that has evolved quite nicely. The wine still shows some toasty oak character, but not to the extent I would find it distracting. The wine feels relatively oaky after so many Bojos that had very little if any oak influence, but thanks to the 10 years of aging, most of the oakier nuances have integrated quite nicely with the somewhat evolved fruit flavors and the wine is starting to show some nice, mature depth and complexity without losing its firm, even slightly assertive structured feel. The wine is in a good phase right now, but I can see it evolving a bit more, losing some of that oak influence and perhaps resolving its tannins a bit more as well. A solid effort, if you are looking for a burly, structured and rather Burgundian Cru Beaujolais.
(90 points) -
2018 Villiera Gamay Noir Stand Alone - South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch (4.6.2022)
Made with Gamay sourced from old bush vine block planted in 1981. Of the grapes 70% were destemmed, 30% vinified in whole bunches. Fermented spontaneously in open-top fermentors, macerated on the skins for 10 days after the wine was fermented to dryness, then pressed into three old, neutral oak barrels. Aged for 10 months in old oak. Bottled unfined and roughly filtered. 13,3% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar, 6,5 g/l acidity and pH 3,38. Tasted blind.
Very deep and dark, almost fully opaque blackish-red color with an evolved maroon hue and a pale brick-orange rim. The nose feels fragrant, characterful and perhaps subtly reductive with nuanced aromas of elderflower, some plummy dark fruit, a little bit of fresh bilberry and blueberry juice, light earthy nuances, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of rubbery reduction. The wine is ripe, juicy and quite firm on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense, somewhat sweet-toned flavors of blackberries and blueberry juice, some tart notes of lingonberry, a little bit of rubbery reduction, light floral notes of elderflower, a hint of allspice and a touch of leathery funk. The structure relies mostly on the fresh, high acidity, but the ripe and quite friendly medium tannins lend some welcome firmness to the palate as well. The finish is ripe, juicy and gently grippy with a long aftertaste of dark berries, some floral notes of elderflower, a little bit of tangy salinity, light reductive nuances of rubber, a crunchy hint of tart lingonberry and a subtly volatile touch of acetic zip.
A very nice, characterful and harmonious new world Gamay with quite a bit of depth and character. I wouldn't say the wine was instantly recognizable for a Gamay, as it showed some qualities normally not seen in a classic Bojo, but nevertheless, this was an enjoyable and fresh effort all the same. There's a tiny bit of reduction, which didn't seem to disappear with a short aeration, but I suspect (or at least hope) it will go away with a few years in a cellar. A delightful wine with some potential for future development. Recommended.
(89 points) -
2018 Caparone Nebbiolo - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (4.6.2022)
100% estate-grown Nebbiolo from vineyards planted in 1980 and 1998. Fermented and macerated using submerged cap method in stainless steel tanks, aged in oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,2% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Translucent and beautifully luminous pomegranate red color that turns to brick-red towards the rim. The nose feels sweet, fragrant and quite sunny with perfumed aromas of strawberries, some caramel notes of oak, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light solar nuances of wizened red plums, a lifted hint of nail polish and a touch of vanilla. The wine feels rich, ripe and sweetly-fruited on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and vibrant flavors of strawberries, some oaky notes of toffee and caramel, a little bit of balsamic VA, light sweet nuances of wizened red fruits, a hint of vanilla oak and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine feels enjoyably structured with its moderately high acidity and quite ripe, well-manicured tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. The finish is long and gently grippy with a sweet-toned aftertaste of strawberry, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of volatile lift, light Bourbon notes of caramel and vanilla, a hint of wizened red fruits and a touch of fresh cranberry.
A pleasant but also somewhat sweet-toned, easy and a bit too oaky Nebbiolo. Although some nuances might point out to the direction of Nebbiolo, the overall feel was just too sweet and too oaky for me to think Nebbiolo - although I was quite close when I guessed Californian Aglianico! All in all, this is an enjoyable Californian wine that is more about balance and drinkability than power and extraction; although the wine isn't big or concentrated, it still feels more structured than your run-of-the-mill Californian red, the acidity feels quite sufficient and the alcohol is surprisingly low - especially for a Nebbiolo that often tends to produce a lot of sugar in warmer temperatures! I guess the wine might improve with age if its oakier tones integrate better with the ripe fruit, but if one would want to compare this to its Italian peers, I'd say this is closer to Langhe Nebbiolo rather than Barolo, Barbaresco or Valtellina. Fortunately the wine is also priced as such at $20.
(86 points) -
2011 Casca Wines Douro Monte Cascas Grande Reserva - Portugal, Douro (4.6.2022)
I have no idea about the varietal composition here, even the producer says just "Vinhas Velhas" for the grape variety. I guess even the producer doesn't know and this is just a field blend of local varieties? Aged for 18 months in French barrels of 1st and 2nd use. 14% alcohol.
Dense, concentrated and fully opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels dense, rather sweet-toned and somewhat polished with intense aromas of bilberries and ripe dark plums, some toasty oak spice and mocha character, light inky tones, a little bit of evolved pruney fruit, a fragrant hint of floral lift, a touch of boozy alcohol and a whiff of dried dill. The wine feels dense, dry and quite extracted on the palate with a full body and quite concentrated flavors of savory spices and licorice root, some juicy notes of ripe dark fruits, a little bit of peppery spice, light evolved nuances of wizened dark plums and prunes, a toasty hint of chocolatey mocha oak and a touch of dried dill. The overall feel is rather chewy and tightly-knit, thanks to the moderately high acidity and assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is dense, warm and grippy with bold, dry flavors of licorice, plummy dark fruit, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, light earthy notes, a sweeter hint of dried dark fruits and a touch of boysenberry.
A firm, muscular and quite concentrated bruiser of a wine - as is to be expected from a 2011 Douro red. The wine is a bit too much of a blockbuster for my taste - I don't mind the power, tannins or concentration here, but the overall feel is a bit too polished and glossy with its quite pronounced toasty oak character that is yet to be integrated fully, even at the age of 10 years. As the fruit department is starting to show the first signs of evolved pruney character, I really hope the wine is capable of aging long enough so that the oak will integrate better with the fruit and the tannins might resolve a bit more before the fruit gets too tertiary and raisiny. At least structurally the wine promises lots of cellaring potential. This is a good wine, but perhaps a bit too modern for my taste to be truly great - hopefully things will change with further aging. Priced according to its quality at approx. 25€.
(88 points) -
2015 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (4.6.2022)
A blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo and Colorino. Fermented and macerated in open-top stainless steel tanks for 18-20 days, aged for 15 months in 3800-liter French oak casks. 14% alcohol.
Luminous, translucent dark-red color with a maroon dried-blood hue. The nose feels sunny and slightly alcoholic, but otherwise perfectly typical of a classic Sangiovese with aromas of sweet black cherries and fresh morello cherries, some dusty earth, a little bit of tobacco, light brambly notes of black raspberries, a hint of savory wood spicy and a touch of fresh red plum. The wine feels dry, dense and quite chewy on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of ripe black cherries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of sweet dark plummy fruit, light dusty earth notes, a hint of licorice root and a touch of pipe tobacco. Despite its somewhat sunny disposition, the overall feel is not at all fat, only firm and sinewy, thanks to the high acidity and moderately assertive tannins. The finish is long, quite tannic and rather tightly-knit with a dry aftertaste of sour cherries and tobacco, some licorice root, a little bit of brambly black raspberry, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of dark plummy fruit and a touch of earth.
Despite the solar (and at times very hot) vintage 2015, this turned out to be very firm, dry and classically styled Chianti Classico after all. The warmer vintage has resulted in some darker-toned fruit flavors and a slightly higher level of alcohol, but otherwise the wine comes across as wonderfully savory and structured with pure, fresh Sangiovese fruit and great sense of finesse. The wine is still quite tough and shows relatively little resolution, so I heartily recommend to let the wine age and resolve for another 5 years or even more. This is a lovely effort that is not only much better than I anticipated for the vintage, but also holds lots of upside for further cellaring. Highly recommended.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
