Château de Grandmont Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2012 (£7.75 Christopher Piper)
Lively, crunchy style, with jolly raspberry and blackberry flavours freshened up by an apple-y bite and some earthy spice, B(+)
OK, so I cheated and tried this before the 3rd Thursday in November, but that was just so I could I bring this video to you as early as possible. If you’ve missed out on the other Beaujolais videos I’ve posted this week, you can find them here, here and here.
Château de Grandmont Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2011 (£7.55 Christopher Piper Wines)
Friendly, honest, ruddy wine, with violet aromas, juicy raspberry and blackcurrant flavours, a touch of bubblegum, on the soft side, but still has sappy acidity and earthy vitality. B(+)
The third of four Beaujolais videos – the last will be Nouveau tomorrow, the first two are here and here. Just loved these wines, a great advert for the region.
Domaine Gerard Descombes Juliénas 2010 (£12.49 Highbury Vintners)
Oh yum, lovely oozing summer pudding fruit, crunchy and vibrant with classic violet/earthy notes and a lively, sappy, refreshing finish. S(-)
Domaine Champagnon Chénas 2010 (£9.99 Adnams)
Deeper and denser, combines Rhône spice with truffley, plummy Burgundian warmth, but still has the still vibrant earthy finish. S
Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2010 (from £17.50 Bibendum)
Starts off in reticent fashion, but uncurls to show its dainty side. The fruit is on that undergrowth-y, wild strawberry edge, with the earthy terroir feel very much to the fore, but there’s also a rich, almost honeyed edge, with floral vanilla characters. Very gluggable, but refreshing too, and with still more layers to emerge. S(+)
Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py 2009 (£21.49 Caves de Pyrene)
This is more mellow and plummy, with heady blackberry, loganberry and wild strawberry forest floor flesh, plumped up with plummy redcurrant edges, and some wild heady spicy notes too. Charming and alluring wine. S+
Domaine Janin Moulin-à-Vent 2006 (£10.99 Raeburn Fine Wines)
There’s an almost Mourvèdre-like deep spicy meatiness here, alongside the deep blackberry, blackcurrant and loganberry flavours, but while the garrigue-y earthy herbiness reminds you of the warm south, there’s still a refreshing, almost zesty edge. S
Another video in advance of Beaujolais Nouveau Day this coming Thursday (the first one is here). But this is all about grown-up Beaujolais, with the wines coming from five of the ten cru villages.
Jean-Claude Lapalu Brouilly Vieilles Vignes 2010 (£16.99 Caves de Pyrene)
Honest, tasty red, with classic crunchy raspberry character, tart apple pie acidity and an earthy violet not – refreshing, juicy, chillable red, maybe a touch on the light side. B+
Georges Descombes Régnié 2009 (£15.50 Indigo Wines)
Warm mellow style, with quite fleshy, rounded cherry and red berry flavours, the leafy/earthy character and – thanks to oak aging – a toasty warmth on finish. But still keeps its freshness and poise, very tasty. S
Yvon Métras Fleurie ‘Le Printemps’ 2010 (£19.50 Caves de Pyrene)
The palest in this line-up, but this is a lively intriguing wine with tangy freshness and classic summer pudding flavours – raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants – alongside a warmer, plummier, almost Grenache-like heartiness. Yum… S(+)
Julien Sunier Fleurie 2009 (£19.95 Berry Bros & Rudd)
Another deep, earthy plummy style, this one maybe more Burgundian than Rhone-like in character, with a feral undergrowth character alongside the plummy berry flesh. Still has another few years of life ahead. S(+)
Domaine des Pins Saint Amour 2010 (£14.99 Oxford Wine Company)
A curious wine, not sure whether there’s just a hint of rot giving this a slightly gawky/peppery character. I like its youthful crunchiness and blackcurrant and raspberry flavours, but it feels a little angular in this company. B(+)
Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly ‘Les Sept Vignes’ 2009 (£15.30 Berry Bros & Rudd)
Starts off dumb, but then unwinds to show a core of hillside flavours – wild strawberries, wimberries and blackberries, with apple and blackberry pie-like acidity to freshen up the finish. Tried a couple of bottles of this the week after I shot the video, and they were both richer in body and fuller-flavoured, making me think my sample was ever-so-slightly corked. Those 2 bottles were S(+), this was S-
It’s Beaujolais Nouveau Day this coming Thursday, and it looks as if the region’s run of decent vintages has continued, so don’t be afraid to dig on the 17th. But if you fancy trying wines from earlier vintages, here are six that I’ve tried recently, and I’ll be posting two more videos with further Beaujolais suggestions in the next few days…
Château du Chatelard Beaujolais Blanc Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2009 (from £10.50 Halifax Wine Company, Wine Array, Robert Anthony Wines)
Starts well with friendly apple crumble and quince flavours and a touch of toastiness, but I wish they’d not down quite so much malolactic fermentation – it finishes just a touch too rich and creamy for real class. B(-)
Jean Paul Brun Beaujolais Blanc Terres Dorées 2009 (from £11.95 Savage Selection, Bordeaux Index)
Good mix of richness and restraint, with some quite fleshy cooked apple and pineapple chunk fruit reined in by taut acidity and subtle smoky oak. B+
Domaine de Buis-Rond Beaujolais 2010 (£8.99 Vintage Roots)
Simple, gentle, peppery style, some decent crunchy redcurrant and raspberry, but lacks a little matière. B-
Château Cambon Beaujolais 2010 (£11.99 Caves de Pyrene)
Lots of crunchy, bouncy plum and raspberry fruit with a twist of pepper, joyful and exuberant, but with freshness too. S-
Domaine Lagneau Beaujolais-Villages 2009 (£8.95 Stone Vine & Sun)
Rich and ripe, but with the raspberry now just heading in a slightly jammy direction – would have been better six months ago, now losing its freshness. B-
Damien Coquelet Chiroubles 2009 (£13.99 Caves de Pyrene)
Decent concentration with mature raspberry and cooked cherry flesh, but again I’d say that this had lost its bounce and would have been better in spring. B
Henry Fessy Beaujolais Villages 2009, Burgundy, France (£7.99-£9.49 Bon Coeur Fine Wines, yourfavouritewines.com, everywine.co.uk)
Yummy, welcoming wine, with joyful summer pudding flavours, an aroma like warm earth/brick and a juicy, fragrant finish – some merguez sausages please… S(-)
Bishops Head Pinot Noir 2008, Waipara Valley, New Zealand (£15.11 Private Cellar)
Starts off rather too smoky, with the oak rather swamping the ever-so-slightly jammy strawberry flavours with a savoury tinge. The smokiness does diminish with time, but the flavours remain on the muddy side. B-
Tapanappa Foggy Hill Pinot Noir 2009, Fleurieu Peninsula, Australia (£30.00 Edencroft Fine Wine, Lea & Sandeman, Mullwood Wine, Nickolls & Perks)
Tasted this a few months ago, and was if anything even more impressed this time around. It exudes confidence, with smoky coffee scented oak acting as a foil to the velvety plum and berry flavours, a touch of truffle and a slightly dusty minerality. Still young, but very promising. S(+)
Louis Jadot Beaujolais Rosé 2008, Burgundy, France (£8.99 Tesco)
A classic spring wine, with flavours of crushed, ever-so-slightly cooked strawberries, some green apple freshness and a juicy, crunchy finish. B+
Le Rosé de Larcis Ducasse 2008, Bordeaux, France (~£10.50)
Dry and gentle, not as sappy as the Jadot, but fuller in body, still with soft, juicy strawberry fruit, and improving the longer it has in the glass. B+
Mas Janeil Côtes du Roussillon Rosé 2009, France (N/A in the UK)
A richer, headier style, quite powerful for rosé but still fresh, with a core of plummy strawberry pie character and a sprinkle of herbs on the finish. S-
Paxton Shiraz Rosé 2009, McLaren Vale, Australia (£11.50 Reserve Wines)
Good combination of plump juicy red berry and plum flesh with a fresh, slightly earthy leafy character, feels slightly off-dry, but still dainty on its feet. B(+)
Viñalba Rosé 2010, Mendoza, Argentina (£8.99 Sainsbury’s)
Initially quite tight and closed, this opens up to show quite gutsy red berry and apple fruit, but it’s let down by a slight medicinal hardness, and overall lacks the vibrancy of the best of these. B(-)
Dard & Ribo Crozes Hermitage ‘C’est Le Printemps’ 2009, Rhône, France (£18.99 Les Caves de Pyrene, Zelas Ltd, Selfridges, Whistle Wines) Thoroughly charming, frisky young wine, abundantly fruity yet still with a crunchiness to the dark plum and berry flavours. Add in touches of woodsmoke, sandalwood and orange peel, and you have a vibrant and refreshing delight. S(+)
Le Bout du Monde ‘La Luce’ Côtes du Roussillon 2009, France (£22.49 Les Caves de Pyrene) Similarly fresh and vibrant, with rose petal and gentle soapy notes livening up the plump plush dark fruit. Full bodied but refreshing, with a ripe yet fine-boned finish. S
Cos Pithos 2008, IGT Sicilia, Italy (£19.49 Les Caves de Pyrene) A wine with tales to tell, not all of them repeatable in polite company. This offers just-cooked strawberry and blackcurrant flavours pepped up with spice and vanilla, spice, and a warm, savoury finish. S(-)
Foillard Morgon Côte du Py 2008, Burgundy, France (£22.49 Les Caves de Pyrene) A wine that manages to be both delicate yet full in flavour, this is still a youngster, with its more wild, savage edges currently coiled but waiting to pounce. As it opens up, it reveals wild, meaty strawberry and earthy plum flavours, just on the right side of jammy, and a rounded, confident finish. A star. S+
Asda Extra Special Pinot Noir 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand (£9.20 Asda) Appealing and refreshing young Pinot, with juicy red berry, cherry and plum flesh, a hint of tomato some smoky oak and a silky finish. Maybe a touch simple but very gluggable. B(+)
Crossroads Pinot Noir 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand (£13.50 Mentzendorff) Starts off seeming rather correct and staid but opens up to show warm strawberry and cherry flavours tinged with touch of iron, toasty oak and truffle. Good now, better in a year. B+
Louis Latour Morgon Les Charmes 2009, Burgundy, France (£9.99 Majestic – link is for 2008) Feels young and disjointed at present, but has nice earthy cherry and raspberry fruit tinged with violets and a spicy peppery finish with a fair bit of tannin. B(+)
Zalze Pinotage 2008, Western Cape, South Africa (£6.99 Majestic - £5.99 if you buy 2) Real love-it-or-loathe-it wine. Full of Cola Spangles, liquorice, charred banana and bubble gum flavours. Not my style at all, but some will like it. For me, 0; for others, maybe B-
Fairview Pinotage 2008, Coastal Region, South Africa (£9.19 sawinesonline.co.uk) Fuller and fleshier than the Zalze, but also more subdued. Still has the banana/acetone edges, but there’s also a roasted red berry & plum character, and a chocolatey finish. B(+)
The 2009 vintage in Beaujolais is being touted as the best in living memory. Hype? Well, this sextet from Georges Duboeuf, the region’s most famous producer, didn’t disappoint. It’s a little early for most of these to be in the shops, and that’s no bad thing, as they’re all wines that will improve with a few more months (and sometimes considerably more) in bottle. The UK importer is Berkmann Wine Cellars.
Château des Vierres Beaujolais-Villages (£8.99 in various independents) Confident, crunchy stuff, with refreshing plummy raspberry fruit tinged with touches of earth and spice, gluggable chillable friendly red wine. B
Juliénas Flower Label (~£9-£10) More power & intensity here but there’s also a violet-like fragrance, and more depth of plum & strawberry flavour. Finish is quite voluptuous, but still juicy and refreshing. S-
Chiroubles Flower Label (current vintage 2008 £8.99 Waitrose) Not quite as fragrant as the Juliénas, with the fruit having more of an earthy forest-floor-feel – blackcurrants brambles, cherries and wimberries. B(+)
Fleurie Flower Label (current vintage 2008 £8.29-£10.99 Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Majestic, Wine Rack) Quite full-bodied and powerful but still packed with vibrant, earthy raspberry, blackcurrant and cherry flesh, with violet and mineral notes on the finish. S-
Brouilly Flower Label (current vintage 2008 £7.99 Sainsbury’s) More backward and less fragrant than the Fleurie, with more of an iron-tinged mineral edge, cherries and berries emerge over time, quite structured and solid but still refreshing. S-
Brouilly Château de Nervers (current vintage 2007 £8.95 The Wine Society) Even more backward, but delve deep and there’s notes of truffley undergrowth, violets, dark forest fruit, and that iron-rich minerality. Still a pup, with the potential to improve for two more years, and age for another five beyond that. S
