I agree with you totally. I still don’t understand the CT notes I’ve read.
Domaine du Vissoux 2009 Fleurie 'Les Garants’
Great, great Beaujolais. If Gamay received the same ‘Grand Cru, 1er Cru, Village’ treatment that Pinot receives further North, this might be La Tache. Just, wow. Intensity, concentration, balance, elegance. A rare Beaujolais that demands cellaring. Had Burgaud’s B-V Chateau de Thulon 09 yesterday, and that was great for today and for the forseeable future. This needs at least five years, and maybe 10 before it will round into full form.
Strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, banana and cracked pepper infused into a drink with the texture of heavy cream. Lush and layered. Unitellectual and old-world at the same time.
Cross-posted - excited by the wine, and missed the sticky.
Coincidentally, Jim Coley just posted a note about the same wine I’m tasting, Domaine du Vissoux 2009 Fleurie ‘Les Garants.’ Here’s my note: “Popped and poured, and followed over the course of three hours. Telltale vivid purple color. The knockout nose is very floral, an elegant and refined Beaujolais, then develops a distinct mineral note. Palate is initially very restrained, and seems to be a bit hollow on the mid-palate and finish; but then the minerals and red fruit come forward, and the wine seemingly comes alive, but always stays true to what is at its core an elegant, exceptionally well balanced, serious and lovely Beaujolais. I happened to pick this up by chance for a mere $14.50, knowing nothing about it. Glad I did, and I’m going back for more.”
I haven’t had a lot of Beaujolais since the late '80s or so. I used to be a big fan of Morgon, in particular, then other interests sort of took me away. I picked this up on a lark, knowing that Ray Walker had scheduled Beaujolais for the first week of the Appellation Series, and I feel like I really scored – especially when I see what this wine should cost.
I loved this, and will pick up some more (if any is left). This is flat out terrific!
I brought a few cases of the 2005 Monternot Morgon ‘Les Charmes’ in for some clients a few years back and I’m glad I kept a couple of cases for myself as it’s humming along beautifully. It’s an estate run by Mommesin and the winemaker I believe used to work with Cristophe Roumier. There are some lolly notes along with red fruits, dried flowers and a little earth. It is bright, crunchy, clean and correct with quite good underlying structure. I suspect it still has a few years development left.
With just a few bottles of Cru Beaujolais in the cave, I opened something simple to have with the paté lorraine for early dinner.
2009 Marcel Lapierre Morgon (‘N’ on back label)
Dense and deeply colored. Initially shy on the nose. Once warm, things got a bit more interesting. Fruit, dark, rich, succulent fruit is found throughout. Focused mostly on black cherries, brown spices, clay and decaying leaves, there is a lot going on here. There seems to be a fair amount of oak present, though the depth of fruit nearly matches it. Tannins suggest a long life ahead still, though the perceived lower amount of acid makes me wonder how this will look once out on the other side of 3-5 years in bottle. This is easy enough to drink, and interesting enough as an oddity. At the end of the day however, I am left wondering if I found much pleasure in drinking this.
As an aside, I have a bottle of the MMIX which I hear is even larger in scale, I simply cannot imagine what this must be like.
Ray - that’s an interesting comment and to be frank, I’m with you. That wine is a particular iteration of Beaujolais. Or rather, it’s several different iterations. But it’s not necessarily typical.
Anyone drinking anymore Cru Beaujolais out there? With so many threads showing a strong interest (with resulting purchases), we should be able to pull some more notes. C’mon, lets keep 'em coming!!! ![[popcorn.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/1/1ca9f29573458cca2424a66a50d6c1261081dd3e.gif "[popcorn.gif]"){kind=small}
Just noticed this thread… Looks like I was a couple days early, but here’s a note from the first (and only) Beaujolais I’ve ever tasted. $10 or so well spent at JJ Buckley.
2007 Potel-Aviron Brouilly Côte de Brouilly Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (2/4/2011)
Consumed over ~1 1/2 hours. Masculine but not heavy. Spicy nose with hints of root vegetables and cherry skins. Palate is tart, spicy, and dry, with forward acids and fading fruit. Cranberry, cherry skin, black pepper, earthy spice. Drink soon. (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Recent '09 Beaujolais TNs (with apologies to Paul and Kenneth for a bit of cribbing):
Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) 2009 Beaujolais l’Ancien Vieilles Vignes
12% $14.99 from Chambers
C: Lovely Gamay red, clear but pure. N: Not much! P: Light, notes of cherry and plum, beautiful balance and length. Simple, a bit acid, but drinks wonderfully. One of those wines that is always beckoning for another sip. Great QPR.
Fleurie Poncié 2009
Pierre-Marie Chermette
Domaine du Vissoux
13% $27 from Chambers
11/10
C: Lovely deep red, darker than most Gamay. N: A bit of oak, not so strong. A note of licorice. P: Oak, light red fruit. Wonderful balance, intense but light, reminiscent of Burgundy, great length. Drinks very well right out of the bottle. Slightly acid, but much less so than the Brun l’Ancien, tho enough to give a mild cranberry note. This is one serious wine! “ethereal, harmonious, and beautiful- almost haunting on the finish” Kenneth Brown, WB 4/27/10
12/10/10: (kept in fridge, no ullage). N a bit stronger. P just wonderful, dark plum notes, hasn’t lost anything.
Jean Foillard “Côte du Py” Morgon 2009
$29 from Chambers 13%
12/10
C: Deeper red than most Gamay, but still clear and a bit brown in some lights. N: Hard to identify. P: Slightly acid on its own, but not with any food at all. Just lovely deeply mineral, cherry, fantastic balance and length. A sense of more to come. This is a great wine. I’d never guess Gamay, more like a light Burgundy, but does have that Gamay acidity and floating quality.
Coudert 2009 Fleurie
Clos de la Roilette
13% $20 from Chambers
12/10
C: Nice darkish red. N: Not much, a bit of oak. P: Audouzed for about 5 hrs. This took off the tannic edge, tho it remained a bit young without food. Otherwise, dark berry, very smooth, incredible length and balance. A great wine! Again, more like a Burg than a Bojo.
Paul Bortin, WB: “Full body and nice sweetness from sheer extract. Deep Gamay nose and flavors of succulent cherry pit cuts thru and compliments all the turkey sides like sweet potato and cranberry jelly. Maybe the best red wine match with T-day so far. Served semi chilled.”
Jean-Paul Brun
Terres Dorées 2009 Morgon
12%. Naturally fermented. “Décantage recommandé.” Fined but unfiltered, low sulfur. $20 from Chambers
12/10
C: Nice Gamay red. N: Don’t remember. P: Slightly acid, but very lively fruity, clear. Drinks really well.
Lapierre Morgon 2009
$18 from Grand Cru
13% MTR09 S 09/09/10 (on back label)
C: Beautiful clear red Gamay. N: Sour cherry, with notes of lilac. P: Sublime, ethereal. Sour cherry, cherry pit, floats like a fairy. This wine is almost magic!
Pierre-Marie Chermette
Domaine du Vissoux 2009 Brouilly Pierreux
13% $26 from Chambers.
IIRC very nice, a bit young but drinks well.
2nd bottle: A bit acid at first, needs maybe 1 hour open
Brouilly 2009 Cuvée Tradition
Domaine de la Grand’Cour
Jean-Louis Dutraive
12.5%, non-filtré, biologique
16€ la demi-bouteille @ Bastide de l’Odéon (Paris)
C: Très sombre. N: Assez fort, très agréable. P: Deep, dark, intense and elegant at the same time, lots of structure, great balance. I’d never in the world guess Gamay. Closer to a PN. Very very interesting, should develop with a few years.
Anywhere in West Sonoma County where I can find some good Cru Beaujolais besides Bottle Barn?
2 tasting notes on same wine. Seemed to be much better last year when I consumed 3 bottles
2007 Domaine Perrachon Juliénas Domaine des Mouilles - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Juliénas (2/11/2011)
Pretty primary tonight with simple grape on nose and palate. Serviceable but not as good as previous bottles.
2007 Domaine Perrachon Juliénas Domaine des Mouilles - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Juliénas (11/7/2010)
Drinking very well now. Very earthy, smooth with dark berries. Love this style.
Posted from CellarTracker
Here are some recent notes on 09 Beaujolais. I included a few notes on non-cru wines (basic Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages) just because they were handy. Overall, I love Bojo and drink more of it than any other bargain-priced red.
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2009 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (2/11/2011)
Decanted for 3 hours and consumed over the course of the next 2 hours. Such a beauty, and the best 09 Bojo I’ve had so far. Unlike brawnier offerings from Vissoux and Bouland, this is ethereal. Like other great 09 Beajolais, this seamlessly marries tart cranberries and a bit of greenness with deeper, darker fruit and a serious mineral character. Unlike some denser and more coiled 09 offerings, this is nimble and extremely elegant. And texturally, this is nothing but silk and satin. Of course, the fruit is concentrated, the finish is long, and this is quite complex–but the package here is just a little more feminine and suggestive than some brawnier 09 Bojos.
Given how much this opened up with air–it was tight and even a tad awkward upon opening–I suspect this will improve dramatically with time. If you open one now, give it air! (93 pts.)
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2009 Domaine du Calvaire de Roche-Grès Chiroubles Didier Desvignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chiroubles (2/7/2011)
This is well balanced and gulpable–almost like a slightly more intense and serious Lapierre Raisins de Galois. This lacks the complexity and character of top-flight 09 Bojo, but it nevertheless showcases the tart but rich fruit, minerals, and high-toned acidity that makes these wines so delicious. (88 pts.) -
2009 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages (1/29/2011)
A rising tide lifts all boats. In past vintages I’ve found this a bit thin and boring. But the 09 ripeness has done wonders for this wine, which is quite enjoyable and very well balanced. It shows ripe cherry and tart cranberry fruit with a medium-bodied presence. Obviously not one to seek out, but this is pretty good. (86 pts.) -
2009 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Beaujolais Cuvée l’Ancien Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais (1/16/2011)
Tasty and well balanced but so, so tight right now. I didn’t give it a lot of air, and I would highly recommend a multiple-hour decant at this point. Nice sour cherries, a bit herbal, and very silky. But drinking this wine is like driving with the emergency break on. Everything is just a bit muted. (88 pts.) -
2009 Thibault Liger-Belair Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (11/28/2010)
Bold and intense but impeccably balanced, this fits the profile of 09 cru Beaujolais. No notes because it was Thanksgiving dinner, but in the context of the vintage this is nice but not superlative. Very structured and serious, and this could reach greater heights with time. (89 pts.) -
2009 Domaine Dupeuble Pere et Fils Beaujolais - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais (10/26/2010)
Balanced Bojo in a lighter style than the more serious 09 examples. This is more the nice weeknight Bourgogne compared with the higher-end crus. The nose is a little muted, and the palate fairly light, but this has nice texture and a good amount of minerality. Hardly a revelation, but this is still quite the QPR. (86 pts.) -
2009 Domaine du Vissoux / Pierre-Marie Chermette Moulin-à-Vent Les Trois Roches - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (10/15/2010)
Another beauty. This is more open than the Fleurie Poncie, and as Keith said, the texture is marvelous. It has a quicksand quality where it slowly takes you in and envelops your taste buds as the wine gets progressively more intense and deeper on the palate. It’s velvety and encompassing. Truly lovely. I find it hard to choose between this and the Poncie, which I found a bit more focused and spherical, but why choose when they’re both so delicious–and such bargains. (92 pts.) -
2009 Daniel Bouland Morgon Vieilles Vignes Corcelette - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Morgon (10/14/2010)
This was ready to rock with just a little bit of air–more open knit and much more generous than the Vissoux Fleurie Poncie I had recently. Deep, rich, and relatively complex, but medium-bodied and exceptionally well balanced. This wasn’t quite as refined or focused as the Vissoux–which should surpass the Bouland with a couple years time–but the Corcelette was very nice and really showcased intense, Burgundian aromatics and palate presence in a Gamay package. (92 pts.) -
2009 Domaine du Vissoux / Pierre-Marie Chermette Fleurie Poncié - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie (9/26/2010)
Beautiful and intense, but give this one a lot of air. I decanted for an hour and then drank over two, and it could have used even much more time.
Bright magenta in the glass with a characteristic high-toned nose of fresh cranberries, sour cherries, and earth. The palate starts out muted. It’s clear that the underlying material is concentrated and coiled, but it takes a lot of air for this to really blossom. But when it does… The outer layer cracks and reveals intense, deep, and very fresh fruit inside the craggy and initially impenetrable shell. This ripe vintage is perfect for Beaujolais, because the strong acid and obvious minerality buttresses the bold berry flavors–indeed, the wine is full-bodied and the fruit is so concentrated and ripe that the Poncie could be too much if it weren’t so darn fresh and drinkable. This has the balance, depth, and class of a well-made premier cru burg, but in the gamay profile. Note that this is a serious style beaujolais, with strong acids and structure. Thus, I would expect this to improve, perhaps dramatically so. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
I’m more into this series for the Pinot, but what the heck…
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2007 George Descombes Régnié - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Régnié (2/12/2011)
Light red. Red fruit nose with a bit of earth. Light bodied. Moderate acidity. Lean red fruit, with a bit of green for complexity. Short tart finish.
This might be more interesting than the Duboeufs I tried in the mid-90’s, but not tremendously so. And those simple wines put me off of gamay. I had a 2009 LaPierre Morgon a few months ago that was much more interesting, so I won’t abandon the variety for another 15 years. (85 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
This particular week in the Burgundy Appellation Series is very interesting for me as I know little about Cru Beaujolais. In my younger years, and less cash, I tried the nouveau craze. That experience made me run away quickly and I expected to be lost forever. The background information and tasting notes in this thread convinced me that there was more serious wine available in the region. So yesterday I took the plunge and purchased a Kermit Lynch imported Cote de Brouilly from Chateau Thivin… A family and its secrets - Château Thivin" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . Drank half last night with a light salad based dinner. It was delightful. It makes me want to look for a few more examples. Thanks for starting with Cru Beaujolais. Tasting notes follow. …Gary
2009 Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly - $18.50 - Opened the day bottle was purchased. No issues with cork on opening. In the glass this medium dark red wine had a blackberry & blueberry aroma that bordered on bubble gum. In the mouth this medium bodied wine had a good blackberry & red currant fruit taste with light cinnamon spice undertone. The acidity is moderate and in check with the fruit. Fine tannins are young but not overpowering and could use another year or two to fully integrate with this wine. Wine is enjoyable now but will get a bit better over the next 2 years. Score 16/20.
Updated for Day 2 notes.
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2009 Damien Coquelet Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chiroubles (2/12/2011)
Upon opening and decanting, the nose is muted. There’s a little raspberry showing but it’s hidden. On the palate there’s acid, tannins, a little minerals and the slightest hint of black fruit. A but high-toned but it does open a little with air. At this point, a very atypical beaujolais. I’ll let the rest sit for the day and try again on day two. More to come.
Day 2 - The fruit on the nose is very evident now. Also, there’s a lot more fruit on the palate, but there is still some acid. I’m not sure that there isn’t a flaw in the bottle. It’s certainly drinkable, but it’s not the “wow” I was expecting from this bottling. I’ll need to pull another soon. We’ll see what it’s like on Day 3.
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I could probably write some “ex post facto” notes for the 2009 Bojo’s I have drunk – but the circumstances just haven’t been right for me to dig out a bottle or two this week. Maybe I will see what I can do.
At any rate – if you are trying Beaujolais because of this thread, and you are basing your judgement on a 2007 or 2008 – really, look around and see if you can find some 2009. Vintage makes a significant difference in Beaujolais, and while the wines from lesser years are decent, you have to see them in perspective, and tasting wine from a great vintage lets you understand better what these wines are about!
Yeah - the 2009 wines are a step above those vintages. I’ve had a few of those that were quite nice but overall the 2005 and 2009 vintages are clearly superior without being over the top at all. Still, I kept some 2007s just to see what happens at the 10 year mark.
I’m a little nervous about the increasing popularity though, as I see prices heading north of $20 in an economic environment that still isn’t what it was a few years ago. I don’t begrudge the producers making a few bucks - they’ve worked hard through the years when their products were unfashionable, but I’d be a little sad if we see what happened in Burgundy or CdP or Montalcino happen in Beaujolais. So I guess the idea is to stock up now!
I had the 2002 Coudert Roilette “Cuvee Tardive” yesterday. Wasn’t showing great, and a two-hour decant didn’t seem to improve it. The wine was a bit hard to read, but I think it’s best days are still ahead of it.
Here are a few impressions from yesterday’s lunch at Ferme de la Ruchotte, just outside of Beaune:
Moulin-À-Vent, Domaine des Moriers 2005
Musky, deep toned red and black fruit on the nose. This is quite expressive while having intense detail and complexity. This is all apparent before tasting. Nice acid, gripping fruit tannin and fleshy fruit show immediately. There are some wood notes, placing a sizable amount of toast which seems right at home with the heightened level of fruit. As it opens, the fruit deepens further, alongside lovely etched-in minerality, a soil component and dried herbs. The intensity continues, showing just a hint of grilled meats on the finish. Just a charming, complex wine from at each stage.
Chénas, “Ultimate Climat”, Julien Guillot 2009
Initially closed off and simple, this showed typical gamay. Deep black fruit, some wood spice, and lower acid impact than the brighter Moulin. After two hours open at half-fill, this opened up quite a bit. Black fruit, black olive and brown spices opened up the level of detail and complexity. Unfortunately, the pleasure never really matched the effort and time needed to arrive at this point. In fairness, this should have been decanted upon opening for the better results.
In looking at the two wines above, it was clear which I preferred. The Moulin was twice the price of the Chénas. At that tarif, I’d choose the one Moulin over two of the Chénas any day. While the Chénas rewarded patience with an increasing nuance, the Moulin just aimed to pleased and did so at each moment.
That’s quite an impressive coq John.