A recent well-attended gathering in chilly fall weather offered a fantastic opportunity to compare cru beaujolais at Arlequin in San Francisco—very interesting indeed. Biggest cru beaujolais tasting I've done yet and great opportunity to compare crus and experience producers--certainly developed an appreciation for Morgon and particularly the Côte du Py. Still figuring out many of the other cru . . .
First up were the wines of Kermit Lynch starting with the 2008 Jean-Paul Thévenet Morgon Vieilles Vignes with a bit of brett, full-on fruit and charred fireplace on the finish. The 2008 Domaine Diochon Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes was being served from magnum and had absolutely nothing to say so I returned to it before I left and found it grippy but also somewhat buttery. It was actually quite delicious—good acid. The 2008 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py initially captured my fancy with its delicious and approachable mouthfeel, but perhaps its dry tightness don't offer the best finish at the moment. In any case, it didn't justify its pricetag north of 30 bucks. The no-sulfur 2008 Marcel Lapierre Morgon had an easygoing raspberry candy nose, but tasted far more interesting—dried fruit that was juicy with light charcoal—really a lighter touch on this one. The 2007 Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes was quieter on the nose and hard to read at the moment—reminded me of soft lake water—the fruit had really released its grip on this one.
Onto the second table with the wines of Peter Weygandt. First were a series of selections from the producer Domaine du Vissoux (Pierre-Marie Chermette), which was very useful for my purpose of comparing different cru. The 2007 Beaujolais VV Cuvée Traditionnelle was bright chipper and giving, but pretty basic beaujolais, whereas the 2008 Beaujolais VV Cuvée Traditionnelle was more interesting—more savory nose, punchier in the mouth—rich deliciousness I found appealing. The 2007 Brouilly Perrieux was tasty—I really liked its combo of blood and iron. The 2008 Fleurie Les Garants was more alpine, more acid, and more stemmy. The 2007 Moulin-à-Vent Les Trois Roches really stood out—savory, tasted pretty big, yet more structured and heavier than I would have expected. It offered an interesting combo. Onto the next producer, the 2008 Daniel Bouland Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Melanie was very high-toned on the nose—and tart, inward and tight—lots of acid here. Mouthwatering—but felt like it needed time to balance out. The 2008 Daniel Bouland Morgon Vieilles Vignes offered quite lumbering structure and little else—it needs time too, I think.
And to the last table to be blown away by the wines of LDM/Louis/Dressner. The 2008 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Beaujolais Cuvée l'Ancien Vieilles Vignes was just fantastic—slithery, soft and delicious—ready for immediate drinking without a doubt. The 2008 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Côte de Brouilly offered more complexity, good grip, more blood, and was playful. The 2006 Desvignes Morgon Côte du Py was richer in terms of concentration, but its dark plush fruit worked with the wine's firm grip. The 2006 Desvignes Morgon Côte du Py Javernières returned to the smell of raspberry candy—it was a lighter touch and yet kept on with plain deliciousness—one of my favorites. The 2008 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette reminded me of rocks and flowers—it felt very fluttery and I never decided exactly where it was or is going. The NV Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) FRV 100 was a sparkling gamay that was outstanding—bright and chipper on the nose and savory and delicious in the mouth—made me pine for some roast chicken. Deliciousness!