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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.5 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 32 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by winchester-xi on 11/2/2020: Rather understated, but with surprising depth and complexity. Very enjoyable, but I don’t see much reason to hold a lot longer. (1137 views) | | | Tasted by DJSeiler on 1/8/2020 & rated 90 points: Great aromas of lavender and licorice jumped out of the bottle as we corked it. Soft flavors of tart cherry and plumbs with a hint of allspice (which was supposing for a Beaujolais). Light in texture with enjoyable and fun ballance f acidic and tannins. Paired with tacos... very fun wine. (1291 views) | | | Tasted by mike l. on 5/10/2019 & rated 94 points: very good. blood and mineral driven. we loved it. (1575 views) | | | Tasted by Pknut on 7/8/2018: About 3.5 years since my last bottle, and this has aged very slowly, if at all. It is still very dark in color, and the palate shows direct and deep black cherry fruit on a resolved palate that is both silky and dry. I brought this to pair with Dungan food at Lagman House in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, with Neil, Bruce, Alex and Noa. Bottle 4 or 4 and delightful with Central Asian Muslim food. (2492 views) | | | Tasted by DRS-Inc on 8/1/2016 & rated 87 points: Brown amber brick hue. Fruit is receding and primarily tertiary notes are showing. Cherry, herbes de Provence, ash, and leather. Tannins have integrated, acidity is softening and ended on a medium-light finish. (4247 views) | | | Tasted by Rossodio on 5/5/2016 & rated 90 points: Slightly unbalanced with acidity dominating, but somewhere in the 30-90 minute mark in the decanter this was singing, with enough fruit to balance it out. Classic barnyard Old World nose and palate during that time; finish is 15-30 seconds and interesting if one-dimensional. Excellent, but not a wine that will get you lost in thought about it. Drink now +2 years; do not expect any further evolution of this and the fruit may be fading a bit much by late 2018. (4128 views) | | | Tasted by EhrlichDY on 2/16/2016 & rated 90 points: En Magnum. So, as a wino I am always looking for the perfect wine to share with non-wine geek friends. This one is perfect. Yes, it's a bit geeky as Beaujolais is not a region most are familiar with. It's not Cote du Rhone or some other thing they are already used to enjoying. Pop and pour with charbroiled Peruvian chicken. This is still drinking very young but that's how I think it is best enjoyed. Dark and red fruit evident in every sip balanced by ample acidity. Medium bodied with great texture. Three of us killed the magnum is 2 hours. (4054 views) | | | Tasted by DRS-Inc on 12/9/2015: PnP on 1st night. Evolved with early tertiary notes and although still present, fruit is beginning to fade. Floral bouquet at first, then picked up tart red cherry, oak, spice, mineral, and earth. Much of the same on palate. Dry, light:mid bodied with fine tannins, crisp acidity, and a moderate finish. (3842 views) | | | Tasted by Pknut on 1/11/2015: About 1.5 years from my last bottle. This is still rather dark in appearance and palate profile, which is dark cherry, with bright acidity and still a surprising amount of dry tannin left. Aging this has made its varietal composition non-apparent. I'm not a Gamay fan, and this didn't seem much like Gamay; it seemed like it could have been a Lagrein or some field blend. Not that complex, this is more superficial than deep or layered, and the silky-dry texture here is more compelling than anything else. (4429 views) | | | Tasted by Rossodio on 11/14/2014: Pretty good - got much better in the decanter over two hours and then fell off. Nice gamay fruit, tending slightly towards a luscious modern style but still with good old world grit. Medium finish. (2699 views) | | | Tasted by SexyEpicurean on 5/5/2014 & rated 85 points: Not sure why I am not getting the same experience as other reviewers who rate this higher. For me, it was just an average Beajolais with nothing in particular going for it. Smooth, fruity, yes, but just kind of bland with no characteristics that compelled me to want more. I guess I am more of a Morgon person. (3167 views) | | | Tasted by mazik on 9/2/2013 flawed bottle: Corked!!! (3974 views) | | | Tasted by Pknut on 7/12/2013: Followed over three nights. At first, this showed more dark fruit than red, and was distinctly more worn than a bottle last November, more compote like, the sides furry, broken down and combining with a more rugged, somewhat spicy, underbrush aspect. Seems a lot more advanced than the prior bottle. No degradation nor oxidation over the next couple of nights. By the third night, this gained in focus and poise, appeared more youthful, more linear, more precise in its higher toned red fruit rather than the worn, furry, dark compote palate of the first night. Acidity kept it fresh, too. Interesting and enjoyable. (3637 views) | | | Tasted by EhrlichDY on 3/9/2013 & rated 90 points: Pop and por. Juicy and gulpable. Ample fruit and a sweet nose. Very enjoyable. Drinking well now and should be god over the next five years. (3203 views) | | | Tasted by wahoo70 on 11/29/2012 & rated 88 points: Lovely beaujolais. Pretty, transparent dark ruby color; fruity nose, with cranberries and red plums, and savory herbs in the background; great acidity, with bright and elegant red fruit, pepper and herbs; well-integrated tannins, building through a long, dry finish, ending with black cherries and weeds. I seem to be less enthusiastic than most of the other reviewers (I'm not the biggest beaujolais fan), but this was an enjoyable bottle. (3750 views) | | | Tasted by Pknut on 11/22/2012: This was gorgeous. I am not usually a fan of Gamay, yet this may have been the best Beaujolais I've ever had. Lovely, pure fruit, cherries, dark berries, very focused, direct and pure, with lovely harmony and a silky mouthfeel, slightly tight as if this wine is not fully giving all that it has to offer. Just lovely. Thanksgiving 2012 at our house. Bottle 1 of 4. (2999 views) | | | Tasted by DRS-Inc on 10/2/2012 & rated 89 points: Let this one slow-ox for awhile & consumed over course of 4 days. Similar TN as before, yet with a more precise & structured profile as this opened up nicely & blossomed after several days. Suspect that this one should continue to improve with bottle age. (2528 views) | | | Tasted by mazik on 8/9/2012 & rated 91 points: Like the great beaujolais from the 1960s, this had fruit and florals (mostly lavender) with some smoke and leather. (2733 views) | | | Tasted by dbcomposer on 7/16/2012: Tasted at the FIAF Beaujolais Wine Tasting: Very fruit forward with lots of fresh red fruits. (2416 views) | | | Tasted by DRS-Inc on 3/20/2012 & rated 87 points: Decanted for 1 hr. & had w/dinner over 2 nights. Floral bouquet w/medley of tart & ripe red berries & cherry, & notes of lavender, mineral, wet rock, and trace of pepper spice & cedar. Dry, medium-bodied w/abundant acidity, initial firm tannins which mellowed on 2nd day, & medium finish. Nice value. (2510 views) | | | Tasted by suchitoto on 12/29/2011: Great gamay, dark at first but after a breath it is approachable fruity and flowery, and has the nice richness of the vintage. (2694 views) | | | Tasted by BravoPapa on 10/25/2011 & rated 87 points: The nose is very fruity on this wine. I'm picking up red cherries, strawberries, and some red currant. It makes me think of fresh berries from the garden. I get some similar fruits on the palate along with some spice mid-palate. It finishes with more fruit. This is a fairly light-bodied wine, with almost no discernible tannins. It's very well balanced. (2902 views) | | | Tasted by tooch on 8/28/2011 & rated 90 points: This was decanted and then slow-ox'd for a couple hours before drinking. Great, juicy nose of Gamay fruit with lovely mineral tones. This didn't have the dense floral aspect, but I think it just needed more air for this component to develop. Palate is rocky with subtle lavender and juicy, lithe fruit. Great value, great Gamay! (3202 views) | | | Tasted by tooch on 7/12/2011 & rated 92 points: Last weekend I was at my sister's wedding on a farm that grew lavender. The nose of this wine reminds me of walking through the lavender gardens there - intensely perfumed with loads of crushed rocks and zippy acidity. This is exactly what I want from a Beaujolais. Great bottle. (3358 views) | | | Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 6/29/2011 & rated 90 points: More 2009 Beaujolais - SF WSET Tasting (David's house, San Francisco, CA): Very dark ruby color; ripe currant, ripe red berry, light lavender nose; tasty, rich, ripe red berry, ripe currant, mineral palate; needs 1-2 years; medium finish (submerged cap, 12-15 day vinification) (3016 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, May/Jun 2022, Issue #99, A Deep Dive Into the Beaujolais Cellar As Well As New Releases From 2020 and 2019
(Saint-Amour- Domaine des Billards) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Sep/Oct 2012, Issue #41, The 2011 Beaujolais Another Excellent Vintage Sees the Region Still on a Roll
(Saint-Amour- Domaine des Billards (Héritiers Loron)) Login and sign up and see review text. | By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Jan/Feb 2012, Issue #37, Back to Beaujolais- The Fine 2010 Vintage and Other Recently-Tasted Gems from This Bucolic Region
(Saint-Amour- Domaine des Billards (Héritiers Loron)) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, February 2011
(Domaine des Billards Saint-Amour) Subscribe to see review text. | By Tamlyn Currin
JancisRobinson.com (7/1/2010)
(Dom des Billards St-Amour Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of View From the Cellar and Vinous and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Domaine des Billards Producer website2009 Domaine des Billards Saint-Amour13% alcohol. David bowler wine, NY, NY.GamayPlant RobezFrance Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBurgundy Les vins de Bourgogne (Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne) (and in English)
Burgundy - The province of eastern France, famous for its red wines produced from Pinot Noir and its whites produced from Chardonnay. (Small of amounts of Gamay and Aligoté are still grown, although these have to be labeled differently.) The most famous part of the region is known as the Cote d'Or (the Golden Slope). It is divided into the Cote de Beaune, south of the town of Beaune (famous principally for its whites), and the Cote de Nuits, North of Beaune (home of the most famous reds). In addition, the Cote Chalonnaise and the Maconnais are important wine growing regions, although historically a clear level (or more) below the Cote d'Or. Also included by some are the regions of Chablis and Auxerrois, farther north.
Burgundy Report | Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne - na stejné téma od Heleny Baker
# 2013 Vintage Notes:
* "2013 is a vintage that 20 years ago would have been a disaster." - Will Lyons
* "low yields and highly variable reds, much better whites." - Bill Nanson
* "Virtually all wines were chaptalised, with a bit of sugar added before fermentation to increase the final alcohol level." - Jancis Robinson
# 2014 Vintage Notes:
"We have not had such splendid harvest weather for many years. This will ensure high quality (fragrant, classy and succulent are words already being used) across the board, up and down the hierarchy and well as consistently from south to north geographically apart from those vineyards ravaged by the hail at the end of June." - Clive Coates
# 2015 Vintage Notes:
"Low yields and warm weather allowed for ample ripeness, small berries and an early harvest. Quality is looking extremely fine, with some people whispering comparisons with the outstanding 2005 vintage. Acid levels in individual wines may be crucial." - Jancis Robinson
# 2017 Vintage Notes:
"Chablis suffered greatly from frost in 2017, resulting in very reduced volumes. As ever, the irony seems to be that what remains is very good quality, as it is in the Côte d’Or. Cooler nights across the region have resulted in higher-than-usual acidity, with good conditions throughout the harvest season allowing for ripe, healthy fruit." - Jancis Robinson
# 2018 Vintage Notes:
"The most successful region for red Burgundy in 2018 was the Côte de Beaune. The weather was ideal in this area, with just enough sunlight and rain to produce perfectly balanced wines naturally." - Vinfolio
Beaujolais Vins du Beaujolais (L’Union des Vignerons du Beaujolais)
The vineyards on weinlagen-info
Wine Scholar Guild Vintage Chart & Ratings
# 2009 Vintage Notes:
"There will be a lot of absolutely delicious Beaujolais to try in 2009, as it is indeed a very good, atypically ripe and opulent vintage for Beaujolais. As others here have mentioned, the Louis-Dressner and Kermit Lynch portfolios cover many of the very best estates (with an honorable mention for importer Weygandt-Metzler), and just choosing from their strip labels is a very good jumping off point. As a quick primer, the three best Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages producers that I regularly cross paths with are the aformentioned Jean-Paul Brun and his Domaine Terres Dorées, Pierre Chermette of Domaine du Vissoux and Domaine Dupeuble from the Kermit Lynch's portfolio. I also find the Beaujolais-Villages from Joseph Drouhin consistently excellent and very classic in style and like all of this firm's Beaujolais, a completely underrated source for very top drawer Crus and B-Villages.
Amongst the Cru Beaujolais, it is important to keep in mind(again as folks have mentioned already) that certain villages tend to produce much more structured wines, and this will be very evident in a powerful vintage like 2009. In general terms, the wines from Moulin-a-Vent, Morgon and Cote de Brouilly are going to demand a bit of bottle age to really start to drink well in 2009, and these may not be the best growers to focus on when tasting through the vintage to draw your own conclusions. But in these appellations, if you keep in mind that what you are tasting is likely going to need five years of bottle age to really blossom from these crus, you cannot go wrong with Kermit Lynch's "Gang of Five" producers- Thevenet, Lapierre, Foillard, Breton are four of the five- as well as Georges Descombes and Louis et Claude Desvignes from Louis-Dressner. I also like very much the Morgons made by Louis Jadot and Joseph Drouhin for the big houses, and Jean-Paul Brun also makes a very good example of Morgon.
In Moulin-a-Vent, Louis Jadot's Chateau des Jacques makes a very good range- though always structured when young- and Bernard Diochon is excellent year in and year out. Pierre Chermette also makes superb Moulin-a-Vent and the Drouhin version is consistently exceptional. In Cote de Brouilly, the two most exciting producers are Nicole Chanrion and Chateau Thivin (both represented by Kermit Lynch). The Chanrion is usually very accessible out of the blocks for this very stony terroir (it is an extinct volcano), while the Chateau Thivin bottlings demand time and are usually tight and structured when young. Better to try the delicious straight Brouilly from Chateau Thivin if you want to drink one of their wines out of the blocks, as that never demands patience and is lovely.
In the less structured Cru villages, wines I particularly like are the aformentioned Clos de la Roilette in Fleurie (they are the Chateau Yquem of the village- though their vines are right on the Moulin-a-Vent border and the wine used to be sold as Moulin-a-Vent before the AOC went into effect, so they are a bit more structured than most Fleuries), Cedric Chignard, Jean-Paul Brun and Pierre Chermette are all very, very good sources. Domaine Diochon in Moulin-a-Vent also makes a good Fleurie, as does Joseph Drouhin. In general these will be more floral, open and sappy bottles of Beaujolais out of the blocks and they will be delicious from the get-go.
In St. Amour, Domaine des Billards makes absolutely brilliant wines and is one of my favorite producers in all of Beaujolais. In Julienas, Michel Tete is the star producer, but I also like the Drouhin bottling from here very well indeed. There are many more outstanding bottlings to be found scattered thorughout the crus and I am sure that I am forgetting several worthy estates, but this at least will give you a good "to do" list to get started with the vintage. The only '09s I have tasted thus far are the Joseph Drouhin wines, which I tasted through in Beaune in March, and they are deep, sappy and beautifully soil-driven. If all the other top estates have made wines in this style, then this is indeed going to be a very special vintage for the region. But with the wines from Morgon and Moulin-a-Vent, you may do better trying a few bottles from either the 2006 or 2007 vintage if you can find them well-stored, as these are less structured vintages and both are beginning to really drink well from these villages." - John Gilman
# 2014 Vintage Notes:
"The 2014 vintage in Beaujolais is absolutely terrific and probably, along with 2011, the best vintage in the region since 2005. The region has had a bit of a rollercoaster ride in the last few years, with an absolutely phenomenal vintage in 2011 (particularly for those of us who like to age our Beaujolais for several years prior to serving), one of the most difficult growing seasons in recent memory in 2012, a good, solid classic vintage in 2013, and now, again, another truly outstanding vintage in 2014." - John Gilman
"2014 [...] vintage is a return to the mineral-cracked freshness and explosive low-alcohol red fruit the cru level wines of this region are famous for but have lacked since 2010/2011 (without the potentially hard/green/diffuse/underripe character found in many 2012/2013's)." - Jon Rimmerman
"the 2014s exhibit lively berry and floral character punctuated by zesty minerality. The wines are concentrated yet not heavy, and show good structure without coming off as outsized. Many producers I visited in June described the wines as a hybrid of the 2010s and 2011s, combining the structure of the earlier vintage and the fruit intensity of the latter. As such, the 2014s, as a group, are hugely appealing right now but I have no doubt that they will reward another three to five years of aging. Many of the brawniest 2014s have the material to see them through a decade or more of life but by that point they’ll have little resemblance to most peoples’ notion of Beaujolais, so I’d advise drinking almost all of the ‘14s before they hit their tenth birthday." - Josh Raynolds
# 2015 Vintage Notes:
"Vinification will not be straightforward and the 2015 vintage will be a reflection of the quality of the winemaker." - Jean Loron
"the wines have the potential to age and evolve beautifully" - Michael Apstein
# 2016 Vintage Notes:
"a harvest of soft, amply fruity wines, though without the depth and density of the outstanding 2015 harvest." - Wine Scholar Guild
# 2017 Vintage Notes:
"Trade body InterBeaujolais has said the 2018 harvest in the region will “go down in history as a legendary vintage” alongside the likes of 2017, 2015 and 2009." - Rupert Millar
#2018 Vintage Notes:
"The heatwave of July and August led growers to anticipate rich, high-alcohol wines akin to the excellent, but atypical, 2015s. However, probably due to the reserves of groundwater accumulated prior to June 20th, the 2018s are, as a rule, fresher, with slightly higher acidity and considerably lower alcohol than their counterparts from 2015. There is, nonetheless, an appealing fleshiness or rondeur to many 2018s, which suggests they won’t keep for as long as the more mineral 2017s – which are really hitting their stride now – but makes them highly seductive from the word go.
Another interesting theme, which we encountered in wines from various domaines across different crus, is a Cabernet Franc-like leafy character towards the back of the palate, which contributes an extra degree of freshness and buvabilité." Will Heslop Saint-Amour On weinlagen-info |
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