Friday Sips
FRIDAY SIPS
'Say Hell No! To Beaujolais Nouveau'
Today, November 18 from 1:30 - 6:30
'Say Hell No! To Beaujolais Nouveau'
Today, November 18 from 1:30 - 6:30
Drop by today for our annual anti-Nouveau party and taste 'le vrai Beaujolais'. Four Cru wines from the region will be on hand for tasting and you owe it to yourself to look at these wines for their sheer delight and value...also, do read the Anti-Nouveau Manifesto at the bottom ;-)
2015 PAVILLION DES CHAVANNES
COTE-DE-BROUILLY
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
COTE-DE-BROUILLY
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
Cote-de-Brouilly is very, very different from Brouilly. Brouilly surrounds the Mont de Brouilly while the Cote-de-Brouilly is of higher elevation on the ‘mont’ and much tinier in vineyard size. From an extinct volcano and hard soils, Cote-de-Brouilly are always more deeply concentrated than their Brouilly cousins and seemingly possess more spice.
Owned by the Jambon-Chanrion family since 1861, the wines here have had quite a long history and the quality is quite sublime, especially since the sites are on the highest portion of the Mont de Brouilly. 2015 brought extraordinary quality along with power. Dark garnet, with delicious, complex, suggestively perfumed aromas of black plum, blackberries with mineral and subtle notes of tarragon. Bright, layered peppery fruit and herbs make a wine that's refreshing but worthy of more attention than just casual sipping due to its mouth filling texture that can best be described as a miracle in the mouth! I uncorked one on an evening last week and came back to the last half of the bottle a couple days later and it was even more riveting…Drink this gorgeous offering through 2022+.
Owned by the Jambon-Chanrion family since 1861, the wines here have had quite a long history and the quality is quite sublime, especially since the sites are on the highest portion of the Mont de Brouilly. 2015 brought extraordinary quality along with power. Dark garnet, with delicious, complex, suggestively perfumed aromas of black plum, blackberries with mineral and subtle notes of tarragon. Bright, layered peppery fruit and herbs make a wine that's refreshing but worthy of more attention than just casual sipping due to its mouth filling texture that can best be described as a miracle in the mouth! I uncorked one on an evening last week and came back to the last half of the bottle a couple days later and it was even more riveting…Drink this gorgeous offering through 2022+.
2014 DOMAINE DES CHERS
JULIENAS VIEILLES VIGNES
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE
JULIENAS VIEILLES VIGNES
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE
One of the northernmost villages of the Beaujolais region, Julienas is named after Julius Caesar. Julienas growers state that their region was the first in Beaujolais to be planted for wine by the Romans in their conquest of Gaul, however one of the southernmost villages of Beaujolais, called Regnie, argues that they were the first. Gotta love those rascally French!
Julienas is always one of the soulful Cru of Beaujolais, often providing a cross between heartiness and finesse. Chers's 2014 follows this trend. Luminous violet and rose aromas combine with wild cherry, cinnamon and stoniness enliven the olfactory senses. In the mouth, it's forward, terroir laden while striking a nice balance between fruit and mineral on the vivid and extensive finish. This is shimmering Beaujolais and quite versatile with food. Enjoy over the next 3-5 years with roasted chicken, mushroom pasta or just a super-fine aged Gruyere cheese.
Julienas is always one of the soulful Cru of Beaujolais, often providing a cross between heartiness and finesse. Chers's 2014 follows this trend. Luminous violet and rose aromas combine with wild cherry, cinnamon and stoniness enliven the olfactory senses. In the mouth, it's forward, terroir laden while striking a nice balance between fruit and mineral on the vivid and extensive finish. This is shimmering Beaujolais and quite versatile with food. Enjoy over the next 3-5 years with roasted chicken, mushroom pasta or just a super-fine aged Gruyere cheese.
2015 ANNE-SOPHIE DUBOIS
FLEURIE 'LES COCOTTES'
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
FLEURIE 'LES COCOTTES'
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
Anne-Sophie Dubois is just one of a young generation of Beaujolais vignerons who studied and worked outside of the region, bringing forth ideals that may be modern yet are so rooted in tradition. Based in the heart of Fleurie, Anne-Sophie’s wines epitomize artfulness, dignity and never sacrificing the soul aligned with the Gamay grown in the area. Learning her craft in Volnay in Burgundy’s Cote D’Or, she draws from her experience there to achieve sultry and sensuous expressions of the Gamay grape in Fleurie; full of depth and aromatic complexity without over-extracting or being aggressive.
Les Cocottes (hens, check out the cool label) is Anne-Sophie’s newest Fleurie and is from 40+ year old vines. Packed with candied, aromatic morello cherry, red licorice, some spicy earth and violet tones that dance from the glass and seduce the palate with flavors that cling to the palate drive into a fresh, uplifting and engaging finish. The perfect Thanksgiving wine to class up the bird, this autumnal beauty can be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years with grilled sausage, mushroom-laced pasta dishes or baked ham.
Les Cocottes (hens, check out the cool label) is Anne-Sophie’s newest Fleurie and is from 40+ year old vines. Packed with candied, aromatic morello cherry, red licorice, some spicy earth and violet tones that dance from the glass and seduce the palate with flavors that cling to the palate drive into a fresh, uplifting and engaging finish. The perfect Thanksgiving wine to class up the bird, this autumnal beauty can be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years with grilled sausage, mushroom-laced pasta dishes or baked ham.
2011 LOUIS-CLAUDE DESVIGNES
MORGON 'JAVERNIERES'
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE
MORGON 'JAVERNIERES'
$26.99 BTL./$323.88 CASE
Perhaps it is the leaves turning every color under the sun or the abundance of harvest dishes but there is something about this time of year that makes us all swoon for good Cru Beaujolais. For Bryan, it's over the river and through the woods toting several bottles of Apex Cru Beaujolais to Grandma's house. There is something strange about thinking of my ass traveling by sleigh, but if I were rolling in one, there’s be no reason to worry about open-container laws!
If you think great Cru Beaujolais does not age, think again. Morgon is one of the appellations within Beaujolais that actually require a bit of time to unfold. The term used in the area for mature versions is ‘pinote’, meaning they can become expressive as Burgundy would. When it comes to older Morgon and the sheer amounts of iron oxide in the soils of this cuvee, this takes on these aspects but there is almost a streak of Cote-Rotie inspiration in the glass as well. I have been parroting on about this wine for many years, as it is truly one of my favorite Gamay wines. Javernieres is a sub cru located on the lower portion of the Py hillside in Morgon. 2011 is a fabulous vintage and one that at age 5 is starting to show exquisitely.
Dried strawberry, hints of tobacco, woven in sanguine, smoke and prominent mineral aromas carry over to a chewy, old-vine texture (65 yr old vines) that has excellent lift, depth and ample peppery/graham/anise/lavender spice qualities throughout the entire experience. The finish is quite earthy, succulent and high-toned. Loaded with a backdrop of brilliance, this wine is serious business for not a lot of money. Drink this remarkable red with roasted turkey (of course) as well as something like steak-au-poivre, roasted lamb jacked with garlic or a soft-ripened Brillat-Savarin cheese. Although it is very delicious now, there is no problem to continue to hold and see further development. While doing research and looking back on a visit to the Domaine in 2011, the Desvignes family uncorked a 1976. Suffice to say, my notes conveyed numerous colorful metaphors of excitement.
If you think great Cru Beaujolais does not age, think again. Morgon is one of the appellations within Beaujolais that actually require a bit of time to unfold. The term used in the area for mature versions is ‘pinote’, meaning they can become expressive as Burgundy would. When it comes to older Morgon and the sheer amounts of iron oxide in the soils of this cuvee, this takes on these aspects but there is almost a streak of Cote-Rotie inspiration in the glass as well. I have been parroting on about this wine for many years, as it is truly one of my favorite Gamay wines. Javernieres is a sub cru located on the lower portion of the Py hillside in Morgon. 2011 is a fabulous vintage and one that at age 5 is starting to show exquisitely.
Dried strawberry, hints of tobacco, woven in sanguine, smoke and prominent mineral aromas carry over to a chewy, old-vine texture (65 yr old vines) that has excellent lift, depth and ample peppery/graham/anise/lavender spice qualities throughout the entire experience. The finish is quite earthy, succulent and high-toned. Loaded with a backdrop of brilliance, this wine is serious business for not a lot of money. Drink this remarkable red with roasted turkey (of course) as well as something like steak-au-poivre, roasted lamb jacked with garlic or a soft-ripened Brillat-Savarin cheese. Although it is very delicious now, there is no problem to continue to hold and see further development. While doing research and looking back on a visit to the Domaine in 2011, the Desvignes family uncorked a 1976. Suffice to say, my notes conveyed numerous colorful metaphors of excitement.
THE ANTI-NOUVEAU MANIFESTO!
Friends don't let friends drink Beaujolais Nouveau! Instead, have them drink REAL Beaujolais. Authentic Beaujolais Villages and Cru Beaujolais are food friendly wines that are not to be confused with the Olde English 800 of red wine, Beaujolais Nouveau. These traditionally fermented red wines are super-food-friendly and the bottom line is that there is nothing more festive with holiday turkey. We will acknowledge that Boy Georges Duboeuf and the Nouveau phenomenon put this region on the wine map, however it has done a disservice for the growers in this zone who make serious wine. Many of the Cru producers don't even put the name Beaujolais on their bottles, simply opting for the name which helps to separate them from the common plonk which unfortunately prevails too often in this region. Unless you are familiar with wine from the Beaujolais villages of Morgon, Moulin-À-Vent, Brouilly etc., drop your former perception of this region and let's start over. Like a snort of whiskey at 8 AM, these wines are unmitigated eye-openers!!
