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Beaujolais As It Is Meant To Be
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| Beaujolais As It Is Meant To Be: The Crus Of Georges Duboeuf |
Monday November 11, 2002 |
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Speaker: William J Deutsch, President, W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Wine Importers
As we await the first release of the Nouveau, it is time to realize how good the crus of Beaujolais can be. These wines are juicy, delectable, and tasty and range from aromatic and feminine to robust in style. In general Beaujolais are light-hearted, friendly and approachable; however, the crus are much fuller, intense and concentrated. Some of the biggest crus can age for 10 years all the while gaining complexity and depth. Georges Duboeuf is known as Mr. Beaujolais not only because he is the most famous producer in the region, many consider him to be the best.
The question to be answered is "What makes the differences between the 10 crus? The answer is the variations in the limestone soil and the micro-climates within the 8 miles wide and 30 miles 54,000 acres Beaujolais region.
All wines tasted were from the 2001 vintage except St. Amour which was the 2000 vintage. There were three flights, starting with the southern Beaujolais Village region and progressed north through the 10 crus.
The 36 attendees voted for favorites in each flight and then the 'best of the evening'. The notes are a combination of the speaker and Vivian Tramontana. Ms. Tramontana has a long involvement with wine and with Tasters Guild.
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| Flight I |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Beaujolais Villages
A great variety of wines belongs to the Beaujolais Villages appellation. They are all different depending on the soil in which the vineyards grow. They may be called "the happy medium wines".
Pleasant, tender, light, very fruity, they can be drunk either as "Primeur" or with 3 to 4 years (depending on the vintage). They always keep their Gamay taste as well as the taste of fresh grapes |
2 |
$7.00 |
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Regnie
Elevated to the CRU status in December 1988, Regnie is the youngest "Cru du Beaujolais". The grapes grow in soils dominated by pink granite and rich in potassium feldspar, the latter imparting special aromas.
Rich and ruby-colored, Regnie offers aromas of raspberry, black currant and peach. On the palate the wine is smooth and flavorful with a balanced finish. Very charming when drunk young. The aging potential is 3-4 years. |
6 |
$7.50 |
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Brouilly
Brouilly is the largest of the crus. It is named after an inactive volcano, the Mont de Brouilly that its extensive vineyards surround. The soil, quite typically, is a composition of several types of granite.
The wine offers generous aromas of red fruits and plums with light mineral accents. It is a well-balanced wine that encourages the rich, fruity character of the Gamay grape.
3-4 years. |
10 |
$8.50 |
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Chiroubles
The vineyards of this cru are at the region's highest altitude, ranging from 800 to 1,800 feet. Poor, unremitting granite soils result in low yields, but with good concentration.
Chiroubles has rich, delicate charming flavors with soft tannins, and is noted for its aromas of peonies, iris, and violets.
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16 |
$8.50 |
| Flight II |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Cote De Brouilly
The Cote De Brouilly vineyards (surrounded by Brouilly vineyards below) lie on the steep slopes of Mont de Brouilly with some as high as 1,300 ft. The soil, a mix of granite and porphyrie (blue stone), gives excellent structure and character to the wines.
On the palate Cote De Brouilly is rich, fleshy and balanced. The aromas of fresh grapes and iris are very appealing. When aged a few years, subtle hints of almond and cooked fruit begin to develop, along with peppery finish. The aging potential is 5 years |
4 |
$9.00 |
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Morgon (Flight Favorite)
The particular taste of the Morgon wines is due to the broken schists in the soil. With its special flavors, the Morgon deserved its own specific expression and thus the term "il morgonne". A full-bodied and virile wine dominated by touches of cherry and kirsch and at times apricot. It is well suited for aging. |
17 |
$19.00 |
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Chenas
The smallest cru, Chenas, has soils largely of sandy granite which imparts a special nuance to the wine's aromas and flavors, plus a jubilant floral bouquet to introduce it.
Chenas is a well-balanced with an intense color, rich and concentrated fruit and a nose of roses and peonies. Accents of spice and rum emerge with aging. The aging potential is 6-7 years. |
14 |
$9.00 |
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Julienas
Situated in the Rhône department in the north of the Beaujolais, julienas borders on the Saône and Loir. The village is rich in history. It is believed that this old name "Julianacas" came from Julius Caesar.
The clay soil is favorable for the production of rich, powerful and robust wines of ruby red color, a peach and raspberry flavor and a peony smell. They age well (5 to 7 years).
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3 |
$9.00 |
| Flight III |
Votes |
Full Retail $ |
Saint Amour
The domaine we tasted is owned by Mr. Delorme's whose vineyards covers 20 acres planted mostly on sand and pebbles. A native of Pouilly Fuisse, Mr. Delorme also produces white wines, and is thus responsible for a total of 30 acres.
The average age of his Saint Amour vines is 35 years, although some are as old as 70 years. Only 40 acres were planted 15 years ago. This is one of the reasons for the perfect quality of his wines. The other reason being that he is very meticulous.
The Saint Amour is full and rich with a lot of finesse. It goes particularly well with game and cheese. |
1 |
$13.50 |
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Fleurie
Fleurie represents the threshold "Cru du Beaujolais", right at the border between those which are better when drunk young and those which are enhanced by aging.
With its fine structure, it ages with a lot of elegance. The wine is fruity and floral when young, with aromas of red fruit, iris and violet in subtle harmony. As it ages, it develops hints of spices adding to its flavor and complexity. Aging potential 6-7 years. |
18 |
$13.50 |
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Moulin-A‚-Vent
It is called "The Lord of the Beaujolais". In a good year for Moulin-A-Vent, you smell the characteristic aroma of liquorice found in the wines of the "Cote de Nuits." Some veins of manganese in the Romanache area are responsible for their aging potential and their robustness.
A sovereign among the Beaujolais wines, the Moulin-A-Vent is full-bodied, robust and powerful. It has a sparkling ruby red color. The predominant aromas are violet and wilted rose. A good year of Moulin-A-Vent is really the only Beaujolais which is able to age well. In a successful Moulin-A-Vent, which spends 6 months in wooden barrels, the taste of oak softens into a nice mild vanilla flavor. In 5 years, you will still enjoy it on all your special occasions
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17 |
$13.50 |
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