Delightful Wines from the Beaujolais Region

Delightful Wines from the Beaujolais 

Dominique Morel “Vieilles Vignes” Fleurie (AOP) 2107, 12.5%, €22.99

160, Cinnamon Cottage, Wine Centre and www.wineolnline.ie

Colour is light to mid ruby. Those fairly typical red cherry aromas, mixed with floral notes, soon announce themselves and stay with you to the finalé. Right through the elegant palate of light and bright flavours, delicate yes, but far from weak and that too applies to the persistent finish. Very Highly Recommended.

I was, it seems, getting the best of its floral and refined side; that comes between 6 months and 3 years. Later, from 3 to 7 years, you’ll be enjoying the fully mature wine, all according to the producers website.

This Morel is produced by Gry-Sablon and wine has been made at the domaine for over a century. Gry-Sablon make wine in five of the ten crus of Beaujolais and also in Burgundy. 

The Gamay grape thrives in the granite soils of the Fleurie village in the heart of the Beaujolais region. With its delicate cherry scents and flavours of red berry fruits, this very elegant wine is an excellent partner to a wide variety of lighter dishes. Recommended serving temperature is 15%.

Dishes indicate suitable are Poultry terrines, all delicate white meats, Bresse poultry, lamb chops with herbs, lyonnaise-style veal liver, roast rabbit, old-fashioned pork loin, pigeon, fish, fresh goat cheese , strawberry profiteroles.

The year 2017 was another difficult vintage for producers in the Beaujolais. Spring frost, vicious hailstorms during July and the drought of the summer months all combined to make it so. Fortunes were somewhat retrieved with a welcome rain just before harvest, which brought freshness to the resulting wines. Still much damage was done, particularly by the hail which resulted in a 40% loss in volume.

In the winery, all went well and the wine was aged in stainless steel tanks on fine lees for 5 to 6 months before bottling in the estate. An excellent result then after so many hurdles. 

Frédéric Berne “Pierre Bleue” Beaujolais-Latignié (AOP) 2018, 14%, €21.99

World Wide Wines  and www.wineonline.ie

Colour of this Gamay is a deeper red than normal, close to purple. There are intense fragrant aromas of berries (blue and black), floral notes. Gets even better as the palate comes into play, terrific fruit backbone along with soft tannins. No shortage of acidity either. Finishes well also with a touch of spice. Highly Recommended.

The Latignié terroir, just a short drive from Beaujolais crus such as Morgan, Fleurie, and Chiroubles, has played its part here. Grown on 'Pierre Bleue' soils, the Gamay “gives wines which have deeper colour, fragrant perfumes and soft tannins”, according to the producers. Unlike the western side of Lantignié where the soils are predominantly granite, the grapes used for this wine come from the eastern side of Lantignié where the soils are mostly clay. Frédéric has six hectares between the Beaujolais Villages, Morgon and Chiroubles, and is currently converting all his vineyards to organic viticulture so uses no pesticides.

The year 2018 turned out to be a very good one, despite a very wet spring. Conditions during harvest were ideal, and the vintage produced a good quantity of healthy, ripe Gamay grapes. As a result 2018, for producers in the Beaujolais, is heralded as one of the best for quality and quantity in recent years.

On the label, you may read their “mission statement”: We do not inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. I chose the path of natural agriculture to help you discover authentic wines that respect their environment. Breaking away from intensive chemical farming, the team takes care of its vines according to the precepts of agroecology.

Another Frédéric Berne wine to watch is his Morgon ‘Corcelette’, also available via Liberty.