WTN Chermette Beaujolais [Long Winded]

In for a penny, in for a pound as they say.


Obviously this is a different vintage than I review, but sure is pretty picture no?

Domaine du Vissoux Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes Cuvee Traditionnelle 2007
Funny thing about this wine, I picked it up months ago from MacArthur Beverage, familiar to some here in the DC Metro region I'm sure, when on an expedition to buy some Riesling. Turns out it's imported by Weygandt, whose new shop I've been frequenting for the past couple of months. Who knew? After a decent and informative chat with the specialist on the colder regions that are handy with the Riesling grape I picked up a couple of bottles of Mosel above my normal fiscal comfort level. While about to check out the specialist pointed to the above as something I might enjoy and by the way they had it on sale for $13.99. That's definitely worth flyer. Anyhow I ended up sitting on this for six or so months before I got up the gumption to give it a go.

For a bit of context, the night before tasting this I had probably one of the most disappointing bits of vino since I've actually started paying attention to what wine I put down my gullet. The 2008 Four Vines Naked Chardonnay (stainless ferment) left me so dismayed I almost thought about chucking in this whole spoiled grape juice thing. The odd thing is it wasn't bad, it was just so impossibly boring that the sum total of my thoughts on it were "well it sure tastes wine like". Bear in mind it could just be me. Though I had a proper White Burgundy a bit later and I can't get enough of it. I'm sure it's not just a bit of wood that made the difference, given I like plenty that sits in neutral fermenting environments. I digress.

So anyhow, the entirety of my interaction with Beaujolais and/or the Gamay grape is, yes that wine. The Nouveau, which as I recall is very wet. Sometimes it's even wine-ish. Mind friends have had fabulous parties surrounding its appearance so I guess it's not all bad right? Now I've done what all good newbies do and have picked up a few books, because as the Good Lord knows one can't drink wine without a primer or two under one's belt. So If I'm to believe MacNeil, Robinson or McCarthy & Ewing-Mulligan, proper Beaujolais is "fun" and "grapey" and a bit more than that Nouveau stuff.

You know what it is. It is fun and grapey. This wine made me so impossibly happy it's hard to even put into words. Pure unadulterated joy. Now I understand there's an almighty swath of possibilities for wine reactions from "Darkened Leather Upholstered Cerebral Thought Bombs That Require Advanced Degrees in Poetry and Philosophy" seriousness to the "Dude All Out Ballz 2 the Wallz Partay Animal We Can Mix It with Fruit Right?" frivolity. And a lot in between. But this was a pure rays of sunshine, a great happiness where the flavor, for me darker version of the bright red fruits, the barest hint of structure so that the thing wasn't collapsing under it's own good timey fruitiness. But it wasn't stupid. There was some intelligence, complexity, a bit of a story going on. It reminded me a bit of some of the great sessionable Real Ale's out there where I can be very happy drinking and contemplating one glass, our I could do the whole bottle whilst solving the world's problems with friends. Take an easy sip, sure enjoyable, but you find yourself driven to come back to it after a few minutes. Then again. And again.

If this wine was a singer, it'd be Doc Watson.

I have since been told that this simple Village version isn't a patch on some of the more specific appellation versions (Moulin a Vent, Cote de Brouilly, etc.) that are out there. If y'all know, let me know. I've picked up a few and I reserve the right to say that after a drinking them that this simple old vine village plonk was really spittoon water not fit for human consumption (actually I can't really feature that at this point but I've got to leave myself an out right?).

In short I rate this at Hell Yes.

[Jenise]

[url]This wine made me so impossibly happy it's hard to even put into words. Pure unadulterated joy...If this wine was a singer, it'd be Doc Watson...In short I rate this at Hell Yes.[/url]

What a fantastic tasting note! It lastest for nearly an entire cup of tea and I smiled and laughed all the way through. In large part because you tell the story so well, but also because we had a not-dissimilar reaction to our first good Beaujolais (a Brun) a few years ago. The happy part, the pure joy. One can go all clinical and try to break down the fruit and tannins and acid as we all tend to mostly do, but there's almost no way to put a word-fence around the happy pill that some wines can be. And that's not about the alcohol, it's about something else that eludes my ability to understand except to say that it's more aroma- than taste-driven and I wish I knew how to have that all the time.

"Tell me where is fancy bread? In the heart or in the head?"
-William via Willy.

This one, again while not lacking place for intellectual investigation, has undiluted felicity as the master of ceremony. I will agree with you that there was a huge aromatic component to this, something I'm often driven by.

[url]This wine made me so impossibly happy it's hard to even put into words. Pure unadulterated joy...If this wine was a singer, it'd be Doc Watson...In short I rate this at Hell Yes.[/url]

What a fantastic tasting note! It lastest for nearly an entire cup of tea and I smiled and laughed all the way through. In large part because you tell the story so well, but also because we had a not-dissimilar reaction to our first good Beaujolais (a Brun) a few years ago. The happy part, the pure joy. One can go all clinical and try to break down the fruit and tannins and acid as we all tend to mostly do, but there's almost no way to put a word-fence around the happy pill that some wines can be. And that's not about the alcohol, it's about something else that eludes my ability to understand except to say that it's more aroma- than taste-driven and I wish I knew how to have that all the time.

A great example of why I call our domestic Gamay "Bone-Jolly!"

[David M. Bueker]

This wine made me so impossibly happy it's hard to even put into words. Pure unadulterated joy...If this wine was a singer, it'd be Doc Watson...In short I rate this at Hell Yes.

What a fantastic tasting note! It lastest for nearly an entire cup of tea and I smiled and laughed all the way through. In large part because you tell the story so well, but also because we had a not-dissimilar reaction to our first good Beaujolais (a Brun) a few years ago. The happy part, the pure joy. One can go all clinical and try to break down the fruit and tannins and acid as we all tend to mostly do, but there's almost no way to put a word-fence around the happy pill that some wines can be. And that's not about the alcohol, it's about something else that eludes my ability to understand except to say that it's more aroma- than taste-driven and I wish I knew how to have that all the time.

A great example of why I call our domestic Gamay "Bone-Jolly!"

It does a body good!

Awesome posting note! It's so much fun to find wines that just make you happy (the Swan Cuvee du Trois is one of my latest in this class). Beaujolais can be fantastic..I think I actually have a bottle of the 2007 version of this I should slurp!

I have since been told that this simple Village version isn't a patch on some of the more specific appellation versions (Moulin a Vent, Cote de Brouilly, etc.) that are out there. If y'all know, let me know. I've picked up a few and I reserve the right to say that after a drinking them that this simple old vine village plonk was really spittoon water not fit for human consumption (actually I can't really feature that at this point but I've got to leave myself an out right?).

First of all, Kelly, what a great description of your experience. Secondly, though, don't believe for an instant those nay-sayers who tell you that the Vissoux VV isn't a Serious Wine, 'cos it's every bit as serious as it needs to be and more serious than many other Serious Wines I can think of. You got it right: it's fun, delicious and, moreover, very food friendly. It's great with grouse or with a mushroom pizza. Yes, a few M-a-V or Morgons will age longer than this wine, and -- yes -- those wines might get more Burgundian than this one, but most Vissoux VVs can develop more complexity with age without compromising their essential fruity appeal. The French use the term "gouleyant" to describe wines like this and I'm not inclined to disagree with that assessment.

Mark Lipton

I have since been told that this simple Village version isn't a patch on some of the more specific appellation versions (Moulin a Vent, Cote de Brouilly, etc.) that are out there. If y'all know, let me know.

I have a total weakness for Morgon, and have experienced this joy you describe from many of them, especially those made by the so-called Gang of Four (Foillard, Lapierre, Guy Breton and Jean Thevenet) and a few others like Georges Descombes. The Gamays from Loire producers like Thierry Puzelat are also delightful. This vein of joy will definitely reward exploration.

This wine is as delicious as you say, Kelly. I have already drunk 5 out of 6 bottles bought in November. His Fleurie Poncié is even better if you like more refinement.

[David M. Bueker]

The seriousness of Beaujolais is becomig mroe widely accepted, but let's not look for or hope for it to ever come to total fruition. For one thing Beaujolais is so ood because of hat it is - refreshing, frutiy(!) and not brooding (generally) or tannic (generally). It's also not a collector's item like many serious wines.

While I hope good Beaujolais gains a somewhat wider appreciation in order to help the growers/winemakers (and perhaps our friend Steve Edmunds by extension), I would not want to see it coveted as must have wine for the label chasers.

Thanks for the hints. I will definitely cast further afield for some more of the Happy B's mentioned. I intend to get more gouleyant. I am mindful that I should not gouleyant and drive though.

I'll report back after I've sampled some of the other Beaujolais I've gathered since that will be a good apples to apples comparison.

I see a Mr. Edmunds responds above, would you be the same as Edmunds St. John? In another posting I mentioned my lurking around here for a bit and one of the tasting notes by the assembled really had me gunning for your wares, if indeed it is you. As de St. Exupery said "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." I think a similar thing may be said about making people want to drink good wine. In any case I think a shop near by, if I'm to believe your distributor, carries the juice but the insistent presence of my 3 & 5 year olds has precluded my making it over there for the past few months. I must rectify that forthwith.

I'm a bit thirsty at the moment.

Nice post.
I'm not sure what's serious and what isn't. But I generally love the Vissoux VV, and have often liked it more than some of their crus. That's not a knock on their cru Beaujolais, which are always good, but a datapoint on how much I like the Cuvee Traditionelle

You know what it is. It is fun and grapey. This wine made me so impossibly happy it's hard to even put into words. Pure unadulterated joy.

You've discovered the joys of Beaujolais.

In short I rate this at Hell Yes.

That's the attitude!

[Jenise]

I'll report back after I've sampled some of the other Beaujolais I've gathered since that will be a good apples to apples comparison.

I see a Mr. Edmunds responds above, would you be the same as Edmunds St. John?

That is indeed he! Steve, meet Kelly. Kelly, meet your new favorite U.S. winemaker.

Thanks for the hints. I will definitely cast further afield for some more of the Happy B's mentioned. I intend to get more gouleyant. I am mindful that I should not gouleyant and drive though.

I'll report back after I've sampled some of the other Beaujolais I've gathered since that will be a good apples to apples comparison.

I see a Mr. Edmunds responds above, would you be the same as Edmunds St. John? In another posting I mentioned my lurking around here for a bit and one of the tasting notes by the assembled really had me gunning for your wares, if indeed it is you. As de St. Exupery said "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." I think a similar thing may be said about making people want to drink good wine. In any case I think a shop near by, if I'm to believe your distributor, carries the juice but the insistent presence of my 3 & 5 year olds has precluded my making it over there for the past few months. I must rectify that forthwith.

I'm a bit thirsty at the moment.

Love the de St. Exupery quote. What a treat to find your scribblings here. I hope you also write in locations other than the interweb wine ghetto; you do it well.
And yes, I'd be the very same...

Love the de St. Exupery quote. What a treat to find your scribblings here. I hope you also write in locations other than the interweb wine ghetto; you do it well.
And yes, I'd be the very same...

You are far too kind.

Well that's me making the trek to Ace Beverage. It's one of the little twists of city life that it's probably 25 minutes from my house as the crow flies, but crows would be jiggered by having to cross Rock Creek Park and get over to the deepest darkest part of upper NW DC. Still for a little liquid Hey Now I'll do it.