First up, a single noveau this year from Foillard. Kermit Lynch reports vines near Morgon, semi-carbonic, whole cluster fermentation, no sulfur till bottling. 2014 Jean Foillard Beaujolais Nouveau - I smell lipstick and perfume, rather dense, fruity, and sweet, more gulpable than notable. Then onto Beaujolais proper. Start with Bruno Debize far in the south of Beaujolais, closer to the Rhône--evidently, according to the website cited above, has leased or sold a good amount of his vineyards. Farms biodynamically, avoids SO2, no cultured yeasts, not vinified using carbonic maceration. I've adored his wines in the past. First, a white, the 2012 Bruno Debize Beaujolais Blanc (Pinot Gris & Chardonnay) - 83% chardonnay 17% pinot gris (grandfathered in, no new plantings of PG allowed in BB) is nice, lively, vibrant. The 2013 Bruno Debize L'homme à la veste (my notes suggest that this may be labeled as a Vin de France) sees a lengthy ferment, no temperature control, 2-3 weeks, destem, raise in foudre - taste fantastic fruit, lifesaver crowdpleaser, very nice. The 2013 Bruno Debize Les Cambertiers a single plot with predominantly granitic soils is aromatically silent, less fruit, more serious, brooding, structure, lipstick/lifesaver, touch more heat, interesting.
Onto the wine of natural negociant P-U-R headed up by Cyril Alonso and Florian Looze--not a whole lot of background on them 'cept that they buy grapes from farmers around France who farm organically and vinification here is semi-carbonic. The 2012 P-U-R Beaujolais-Villages Quartz et Sable comes from a single site with 40-year-old vines grown on quartz soil in the town of Lantignie per sfexaminer.com and it has a weird nose and is very hard to evaluate. I've had this wine in the past and it has been lovely, this one is not in a good place in the moment--and frankly impossible for me to evaluate or type anything useful at all. The 2012 P-U-R Morgon Côte du Py had undergone a double decant to let some signs of reduction blow off and it is wonderful, touch of raspberry sweetness, kissing, phenomenal structure and fruit, drink now--or at least I can't imagine a reason for waiting. The 2012 P-U-R Régnié sur Granite (from magnum) has a nose that's a tad silent, structure tight, firm, leaner. This is serious and seriously good, giddy up magnum.
Heading over to the next table to begin with the wines of Coudert: semi-carbonic maceration, temperature control, aged in large oak foudres. Soils are 25% clay versus the dominant granite in their Fleurie AOC and their vineyards border the neighboring Moulin-à-Vent appellation. Vines in the 20something/30something range. This is the first time I've seen the 2013 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette Christal which LDM indicates "comes from 2 parcels which together cover a total of 2 hectares. Situated in the South East of the town of Fleurie, the vines grow on sandy soil with a subsoil of 'arène granitique' (a pink colored stone)." Younger vines, kind of a younger sidekick to the Tardive. Surprisingly little nose--surprising for for a Fleurie and a Coudert, tastes lean, dry and gripping, prickly, notes of kerosene, upper level fusel, not sure, and not thinking this is showing its best today. The 2013 Coudert Fleurie Clos de la Roilette is dark, really hard to read nose, good concentration, toward elegant but not yet come together, awkward, firm and shut down. I'm not having luck with these wines today. Moving on the wines of Georges Descombes, who LDM indicates maintains vineyards in Morgon, Brouilly, Regnié, Chiroubles, and Beaujolais-Villages. Hand-harvested, semi-carbonic maceration in 60 hl cement tanks, ambient yeasts, minimal sulfur at bottling. The 2013 Georges Descombes Morgon has incredible texture, silky, clean, elegant, sleek, dark rhubarb, skeletal/thin, easy drink, touch dirt on finish. The 2013 Georges Descombes Brouilly offers only a slight nose, interesting, more vegetal, more savory, lighter, more air bubbles, bright, surprisingly spicy. His son has now joined in the game--think this is the first vintage for Kevin Descombes. The 2013 Kevin Descombes Morgon smells dark, of the earth, silent fruit, plenty of well-placed structure, really like the the finish, I'm finding the 2013s at this table difficult to read. The 2013 Kevin Descombes Morgon VV offers concentration and beauty, love different nose, dark fruit, gripping tannin, very dry. Next onto Desvignes located in center of Morgon: La Voûte Saint-Vincent is a blend of parcels from Py (sandy granite) and another three hectares on the Côte du Py (igneous and schist). Noncarbonic, picks later than neighbors, practicing organic, long controlled fermentation. The 2012 Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon La Voute St Vincent (45 year old vines, 50% destemmed, raised concrete 13 months) has a touch of stink on nose, emasculated fruit, tart rubber, very inward, impossible, very dry pucker. Seems a touch reductive at the moment? Or closed? The 2012 Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Côte du Py (70 year old vines, whole cluster, raised in concrete) offers more concentration and hence bit more to read at the moment, drinks much better, bit of meat on the bones.
Next up another favored producer, Jean Paul Brun is based in southern Beaujolais but owns and farms granite-based vineyards further north in Côte de Brouilly, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, and Fleurie. Noncarbonic, indigenous yeast, minimal S02 and minimal filtration. The 2013 Terres Dorées Beaujolais l'Ancien comes from clay and limestone, 80 year old vines (would be curious to learn where), destemmed, aged in Burgundian oak barrels. Aromatics are off the hook, lovely, unusual dark mineral backbone, salty grip, very likeable. The 2013 Terres Dorées Côte de Brouilly (granite soils, destemmed, aged in Burgundian oak barrels) less aroma, more vegetal, sauce, savory/no fruit whatsoever--lots of structure to this wine.
A new producer to me, France Gonzalvez started up in 2004, farming 5 hectares and purchasing additional fruit from others. First up, a chardonnay, the France Gonzalvez Escapade is juicy, simple and delicious. Moving onto the gamay (all semi-carbonic), the 2012 France Gonzalvez Cueillette (60-80 year old vines, sandy soils) is a Vin de France, if I recall correctly (not sure why--but presumably every wine she makes is a Vin de France, nyuk nyuk nyuk) smell slight brett, entrancing nose, dark savory blood/rhubarb, fantastic acid, yummy acid, lovely gamay. The 2012 France Gonzalvez Beaujolais-Villages .G (50-70 year old vines, granite, 1/3 concrete and 2/3 older barrels, parcel 'Le Gay') plummy, soft, not whole lot there, drinks really well, simply country wine; these are true wines, liking very much. The 2012 France Gonzalvez Côte de Brouilly has a silly good nose and seems a bit more serious, but something odd about it I can't put my finger on.
And another new producer to me: David Beaupère. Based in Juliénas, farming organically. The 2012 Domaine David-Beaupère Juliénas La Croix de la Bottiere (45 year old vines, partial destemmed, native yeasts, no fining, filtration) has a lovely elegant light nose, depth, draws you in, serious fruit, approachable sooner, serious, delicious immediate, chewy red wine, more heat. The 2011 Domaine David-Beaupère Juliénas La Bottière (65 year old vines on thin top soil of gravel and loam, extended cold soak, native yeast, no filtration) offers dark concentration, serious big brooding, very red winey.
Keeping with the theme, another new producer! Anne-Sophie Dubois farms 8 hectares and is based in Fleurie. The 2012 Anne Sophie Dubois Fleurie Clepsydre (semicarbonic, low temperatures, native yeasts, 13 months in 228L used barrels) has a freakish nose and the alcohol seems to be sticking out. Seems at an unpleasant place at the moment, would need to revisit.
Moving on to Côte de Brouilly where Nicole Chanrion farms 6 hectares. 50 year-old vines on schist, vinified semicarbonic in stainless steel, aged minimum 9 months, unfiltered. The 2013 Chanrion Côte de Brouilly Domaine de la Voute des Crozes offers lovely subtle aromatics, phenomenal, lengthy, elegant singing, perhaps the best example of what 2013 offers thus far, mmmm bojo. The 2005 Chanrion Côte de Brouilly Domaine de la Voute des Crozes sings, beautiful, incredible, perfect, wow (others in the room were not so impressed, ah well).
Moving over to Moulin-à-Vent and the wines of Domaine Diochon. 5 hectares with 50-85 year-old vines on pink granites/sandstone/manganese-rich subsoils, semicarbonic, then aged in oak foudres, minimal sulflur, no fining/filtration. The 2013 Domaine Diochon Moulin-à-Vent is wow, this is intellectual, layered, chewy, thoughtful, nice.
Onto one of my favorites in Morgon, Marcel Lapierre. Decomposed granite soils, older vines, aim for maximum ripeness, semicarbonic, indigenous yeast, low temperatures, aged on fine lees in Burgundy barrels, unfiltered. The 2012 Marcel Lapierre Morgon (60 year old vines) is juicy concentrates silky, purity as always. The 2011 Marcel Lapierre Morgon MMXI Cuvée Marcel Lapierre (100 year old vines) offes purity, depth, precision, but nowhere near as expressive as expected (nor as last) just silent--not a consensus view, though, and I hardly feel like a slurp and spit accomplishes much here--I just love this wine.
Also in Morgon, Jean-Paul Thévenet is another member of the Gang of Four who farms 5 hectares on decomposed granite and sand, biodynamic, old vines ranging from 45 to 110 years old, indigenous yeast, semicarbonic, low temperatures, aged on fine lees in burgundian barrels for 6-8 months. The 2013 Jean-Paul Thevenet Morgon Vieilles Vignes has a bit more funkified nose, liqueur, concentration, dry tannic structure.
Moving onto Guy Breton, which KLWM reports:
Breton’s domaine is comprised of three hectares (only 7.2 acres), eighty percent of which lies in the appellation of Morgon, around the village of Villié-Morgon. The vines range in age from 8 to 80 years, with the 80-year-old vines dedicated to the “Vieilles Vignes” cuvée. Guy’s property is located in the microclimates “Saint-Joseph” and “Grand Cras,” where the naturally low pH of the soil creates favorable conditions for Breton’s sulfur-free vinification.
Organically farmed, carbonic maceration, low temperatures, indigenous yeast, 6-8 months in Burgundian barrels, unfined/unfiltered. The 2013 Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes (sourced from the Saint Joseph and Grand Cras subzones) has a nose that suggests wild beer nose, dark ungiving and awesome, brooding.
Continuing with the Gang of Four theme, onto the wines of Jean Foillard. Farmed organically, semicarbonic, unfiltered, no SO2 during vinification. The 2012 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py (granite and schist soils on alluvial fan) - boozier nose, wow. dark, elegant, soft, sophisticated. The 2011 Jean Foillard Fleurie (45-50 years old vines, pink sandstone) nose kills it, savory multifaceted.
Staying in Fleurie, where Yann Bertrand farms 7.5 hectares ranging from 30 to 100 year old vines, biodynamic practices. The 2013 Yann Bertrand Fleurie Coup de Folie (30-60 year old vines, granitic sand, semicarbonic, native yeast, no SO2 during vinification, 1/3 aged in 500 liter demimuids, 2/3 in tank) wow, juicy purity, fun, juicy purity, dark savory focus. The 2013 Yann Bertrand Fleurie Coup de Foudre (60+ year old vines, granitic sand, carbonic, no SO2, 7-9 months in 225 liter used barrel) is tad stinkier, dark savory, huge concentration, less approachable at the moment. The 2013 Yann Bertrand Fleurie Cuvée du Chaos (80-110 year old vines, granitic sand, 7-9 months in 10-year old 225 liter barrels) super elegant, freshness, delicacy, expresses length and depth.
Perhaps the least explored for me of all the Crus is Saint-Amour where the Pouilly-Fuissé-based Château des Rontets adds a gamay to their portfolio (2 parcels farmed organically, carbonic, no pumping/punching, raised in 228 and 400 liter barrels) The 2013 Château des Rontets Saint-Amour Côte de Besset has a juicy fruity simplicity.
Onto the useful comparisons among the wines of Julien Sunier who organically farms 3 hectares in Fleurie, Morgon and Régnié. Whole cluster carbonic, low temperatures, aged up to 11 months in 3-9 year old Burgundy barrels. The 2013 Julien Sunier Régnié has a simple nose, good midbody, simple fruit, punch easy juicyness, easy. The 2013 Julien Sunier Fleurie smells predominantly carbonic and good, dark salty surprising food wine. The 2013 Julien Sunier Morgon is wow, drinking fantastic, plush chew and awesome.