WTN: Never break the Chénas

[David M. Bueker]

• 2019 Domaine Thillardon Chénas Les Blémonts - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Chénas (10/17/2021)
  Pure red fruit backed up by ample acidity forms the signature of the wine. There’s some touches of earthy/herbal underneath, but it takes work to get to them. For now this is in the fun fruit phase.

[Jenise]

A producer I've never heard of. Say, what's the 19 vintage supposed to be like? I haven't been following. The '18s enough to make me give up Beaujolais.

Btw, had a '16 Roillette last week, a regular not the Tardive. Was surprised at the strong watermelon flavor, a lot like the Wind Gap pinots I haven't gotten rid of. That's not what I think of from Roillette.

[David M. Bueker]

I can't speak to 2016, but 2019, while ripe (climate change!) is not the caricature that 2018 is to my palate. So far Roillette, Thivin and this Thillardon have all been very good.

[Jenise]

I've thought '16 was a very good vintage. Perhaps especially following the fat '15s. But I got to know Roillette with the '10s and 11's. Big, sturdy, ageable vintages. It probably skewed my idea of what to expect from Roillette.

[David M. Bueker]

I've thought '16 was a very good vintage. Perhaps especially following the fat '15s. But I got to know Roillette with the '10s and 11's. Big, sturdy, ageable vintages. It probably skewed my idea of what to expect from Roillette.

No. Watermelon juice is not Roillette.