Served blind I guessed it to be Burgundy first but once that was shut down I arrived at Beaujolais, guessing it to be a decade+ younger than it actually is. Sweetly cherry-fruited on the nose with a blood orange edge. There is a good deal of oak but it feels appropriate, in a licorice root kind of a way. Very large-scaled, markedly mouth-filling. A considerable style with Côte d'Or aspirations. Huge fruit with not a very developed profile, this drinks way, way younger than it is. Finishes fresh and moreish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Made with biodynamically farmed Gamay grapes harvested very late. Fermented in concrete, aged for several years in 400-liter oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Deep, dark and only slightly translucent plummy color. Fragrant, slightly wild and surprisingly youthful nose with complex aromas of wild strawberries and fresh blackberries, some zesty notes of blood orange, a little bit of tobacco and old leather, light dusty notes of licorice root, a hint of savory wood spice and a sweet touch of ripe figs. Even though the nose suggests a quite ripe and substantial wine, on the palate it turns out to be surprisingly crunchy and light on its feet - although not lacking in volume or oomph in any way. Nuanced flavors of brambly blackberries and crunchy crowberries, some sweeter notes of black cherries and wizened red plums, a little bit of licorice root, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of extracted woody bitterness and a subtly acetic touch of VA. The overall feel is textural, silky and quite structured, thanks to the high acidity and ample, quite ripe and somewhat grippy tannins. The finish is long, somewhat grippy and slightly wild with flavors of ripe cherries and forest fruits, some fresh plummy tones, light meaty notes of umami, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of earth and a subtly acetic touch of VA.
A very Burgundian, dead-serious Beaujolais that is both fresh and crunchy and surprisingly substantial at the same time. Remarkably youthful for a Gamay almost 15 years old, this wine doesn't betray its age in any way. Superb stuff that is going to age for many more years. Highly recommended. Priced according to its quality at 36€.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very deep, somewhat developed and only slightly translucent pomegranate color. Open, complex and somewhat developed nose with savory aromas of beef jerky, dried flowers, some antique furniture and old dry wood, a little bit of candied orange rind, light cherry tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of sun-baked earth. Somehow the nose here reminds me quite a bit of Nebbiolo with age. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and somewhat developed on the palate with savory flavors of tobacco, wizened cherries, some dry bretty notes of leather and phenolic spice, light gamey tones, a little bit of stony minerality, a crunchy hint of cranberry and an extracted touch of woody bitterness. The overall feel is quite structured and sinewy with the high acidity and quite stern, rather grippy tannins. The lengthy finish is dry and quite grippy but also enjoyably juicy with bright, developed flavors of cranberries, black cherries, some wizened forest fruits, a little bit of leather, light bitter notes of sour cherries, hints of earth and tobacco and a touch of gamey meat.
An impressive Moulin-à-Vent that feels more serious than playful in style. It is pretty stern and muscular, but at the same time positively lively and even quite light on its feet - a polar opposite of the Desjourneys Morgon 2011 that was more like a ripe and jammy Spanish wine than anything remotely Gamay. The age is slowly starting to show here, but it nevertheless feels like the wine still has some years to go before hitting its plateau of maturity. Very impressive and thoroughly delicious stuff. A very positive surprise, priced according to its quality at 36€.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had off Wild Ginger wine list in Seattle at the Triple Door watching music. Classic dark cherries, cloves, pronounced sour and bitter notes, but fresh, ripe raspberries and blackberries with a great tangy core and finish. One of the better Gamay's I've had. Rounding out well with 7+ years on it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Simply the best bottle of Beaujolais I have had in quite a long while. A profound effort. Dark and offering little nose on day one by day 3 it was effusive, floral, red fruited and would give most premier cru burgundy a run for their money (good thing as it costs a fortune...). Great wine supple, light. Could not recommend it highly enough.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
E&R's 3rd Annual Beaujolais Weekend; 11/17/2012-11/18/2012 (E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR): Wow, this one kills the Fleurie. Where the Fleurie was just all brett on the nose, this shows some of that but is coupled with strong strawberry underpinnings that make that brett just smell a bit earthy. The palate is amazingly soft and smooth, showing great harmony and balance. Soft earthy flavors coupled with strawberry fruit. This is elegant and pretty. The finish is soft and lighter, showing some mushrooms and a willow tree. Really great balance and richness, offering fantastic depth. The texture is quite lush and creamy, and certainly unexpected for Beaujolais, though it's welcome and doesn't sway from typicity. Again, I really look forward to exploring these wines in future vintages, but this one is definitely worth the price of admission.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Even rarer than the recently tasted Fleurie 2007 (only 3,013 bottles produced) and made along the same perfectionist lines. Biodynamic farming, extremely old vines and very low yields (20hl/ha) produce a wine with (amazingly) only 12% alcohol. No fining or filtration. Not easy to assess immediately after opening; there is a slight reduction and there seems to be a touch of brett. On the second day the wine has settled down. Predictably it is more masculine than the Fleurie and less floral, but a stylistic kinship is very much in evidence. Vinous, with relatively little varietal character, very mineral, hint of wood. This too will last until 2020 easily.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/13/2021 - kuumies wrote:
Served blind I guessed it to be Burgundy first but once that was shut down I arrived at Beaujolais, guessing it to be a decade+ younger than it actually is. Sweetly cherry-fruited on the nose with a blood orange edge. There is a good deal of oak but it feels appropriate, in a licorice root kind of a way. Very large-scaled, markedly mouth-filling. A considerable style with Côte d'Or aspirations. Huge fruit with not a very developed profile, this drinks way, way younger than it is. Finishes fresh and moreish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2021 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
Made with biodynamically farmed Gamay grapes harvested very late. Fermented in concrete, aged for several years in 400-liter oak barrels. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol.
Deep, dark and only slightly translucent plummy color. Fragrant, slightly wild and surprisingly youthful nose with complex aromas of wild strawberries and fresh blackberries, some zesty notes of blood orange, a little bit of tobacco and old leather, light dusty notes of licorice root, a hint of savory wood spice and a sweet touch of ripe figs. Even though the nose suggests a quite ripe and substantial wine, on the palate it turns out to be surprisingly crunchy and light on its feet - although not lacking in volume or oomph in any way. Nuanced flavors of brambly blackberries and crunchy crowberries, some sweeter notes of black cherries and wizened red plums, a little bit of licorice root, light meaty notes of umami, a hint of extracted woody bitterness and a subtly acetic touch of VA. The overall feel is textural, silky and quite structured, thanks to the high acidity and ample, quite ripe and somewhat grippy tannins. The finish is long, somewhat grippy and slightly wild with flavors of ripe cherries and forest fruits, some fresh plummy tones, light meaty notes of umami, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of earth and a subtly acetic touch of VA.
A very Burgundian, dead-serious Beaujolais that is both fresh and crunchy and surprisingly substantial at the same time. Remarkably youthful for a Gamay almost 15 years old, this wine doesn't betray its age in any way. Superb stuff that is going to age for many more years. Highly recommended. Priced according to its quality at 36€.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2020 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points
12% alcohol.
Very deep, somewhat developed and only slightly translucent pomegranate color. Open, complex and somewhat developed nose with savory aromas of beef jerky, dried flowers, some antique furniture and old dry wood, a little bit of candied orange rind, light cherry tones, a hint of tobacco and a touch of sun-baked earth. Somehow the nose here reminds me quite a bit of Nebbiolo with age. The wine is dry, medium-bodied and somewhat developed on the palate with savory flavors of tobacco, wizened cherries, some dry bretty notes of leather and phenolic spice, light gamey tones, a little bit of stony minerality, a crunchy hint of cranberry and an extracted touch of woody bitterness. The overall feel is quite structured and sinewy with the high acidity and quite stern, rather grippy tannins. The lengthy finish is dry and quite grippy but also enjoyably juicy with bright, developed flavors of cranberries, black cherries, some wizened forest fruits, a little bit of leather, light bitter notes of sour cherries, hints of earth and tobacco and a touch of gamey meat.
An impressive Moulin-à-Vent that feels more serious than playful in style. It is pretty stern and muscular, but at the same time positively lively and even quite light on its feet - a polar opposite of the Desjourneys Morgon 2011 that was more like a ripe and jammy Spanish wine than anything remotely Gamay. The age is slowly starting to show here, but it nevertheless feels like the wine still has some years to go before hitting its plateau of maturity. Very impressive and thoroughly delicious stuff. A very positive surprise, priced according to its quality at 36€.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2014 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had off Wild Ginger wine list in Seattle at the Triple Door watching music. Classic dark cherries, cloves, pronounced sour and bitter notes, but fresh, ripe raspberries and blackberries with a great tangy core and finish. One of the better Gamay's I've had. Rounding out well with 7+ years on it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/21/2013 - Barry Rothof wrote: 90 Points
A few cru Beaujolais !: Succulent fresh red fruit, refreshing acidity, and a seductive smooth texture. Lovely!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/12/2013 - liteagilis wrote: 94 Points
Simply the best bottle of Beaujolais I have had in quite a long while. A profound effort. Dark and offering little nose on day one by day 3 it was effusive, floral, red fruited and would give most premier cru burgundy a run for their money (good thing as it costs a fortune...). Great wine supple, light. Could not recommend it highly enough.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/9/2012 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot Likes this wine: 93 Points
Amazing. Did not know Beaujolais could be this awesome. Earthy, light but structured. Mushrooms. Tangy. Great length. Need more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2012 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 92 Points
E&R's 3rd Annual Beaujolais Weekend; 11/17/2012-11/18/2012 (E&R Wine Shop, Portland OR): Wow, this one kills the Fleurie. Where the Fleurie was just all brett on the nose, this shows some of that but is coupled with strong strawberry underpinnings that make that brett just smell a bit earthy. The palate is amazingly soft and smooth, showing great harmony and balance. Soft earthy flavors coupled with strawberry fruit. This is elegant and pretty. The finish is soft and lighter, showing some mushrooms and a willow tree. Really great balance and richness, offering fantastic depth. The texture is quite lush and creamy, and certainly unexpected for Beaujolais, though it's welcome and doesn't sway from typicity. Again, I really look forward to exploring these wines in future vintages, but this one is definitely worth the price of admission.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/12/2012 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 91 Points
Even rarer than the recently tasted Fleurie 2007 (only 3,013 bottles produced) and made along the same perfectionist lines. Biodynamic farming, extremely old vines and very low yields (20hl/ha) produce a wine with (amazingly) only 12% alcohol. No fining or filtration. Not easy to assess immediately after opening; there is a slight reduction and there seems to be a touch of brett. On the second day the wine has settled down. Predictably it is more masculine than the Fleurie and less floral, but a stylistic kinship is very much in evidence. Vinous, with relatively little varietal character, very mineral, hint of wood. This too will last until 2020 easily.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment