Best wine value of my life

OK, you can have the WOTN, WOTYear or just your favorite. I am going out on the limb and proclaim a best wine value of my life. The mad cow disease withstanding this is the least expensive great drink I can remember. The wine is '07 MORGON Jean Desombes, a Duboeuf Beaujolais that I bought by the case for $5.39. Lots of fruit, great depth, might be better in one year but why wait. I bought 2 1/2 cases and it is now gone. I would buy another 2 cases but can't. My wife loves it, gets 100 pts for that, and drinks well with many foods. Had it tonight with a grilled NY strip. Found it at CSW, one of my favorite wine stores, for $19.99. Don't know why the distributor put is on super sale but I will not question his logic. Great wine, great fruit, great value probably can't be beat. I love '07 in the south of France.
Walt

[David M. Bueker]

Wow. That was quite the price.

'07 MORGON Jean Desombes, a Duboeuf Beaujolais...I love '07 in the south of France...

???

[David M. Bueker]

Isn't it below the Armstrong-Jefferson line?

I had the '01 version for Thanksgiving Dinner in '06.
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5999&p=46862 Good stuff. Don't remember what I paid, but it sounds like a back up the truck deal.

The wine at CSW was G Descombes (Georges) not J Descombes (Jean). Doesn't change the fact that this is my best ever wine buy.
Walt

[James Roscoe]

Isn't it below the Armstrong-Jefferson line?

What is this line?

Could this still be available in certain parts of the country?

'07 MORGON Jean Desombes, a Duboeuf Beaujolais...I love '07 in the south of France...

???

Nit, Nit, Nit!!! It is the southern most part of Burgundy and would definitely be below France's Mason Dixon Line. Think of it as a wine from Virginia, definitely "south".
Walt

It is the southern most part of Burgundy and would definitely be below France's Mason Dixon Line.

That's an interesting concept. What would be the basis for forming France's Mason Dixon line?

They often talk about Poitiers as the line that stopped the Arab advance but for me the more significant line has always been Montelimar where the mono-cepage becomes blends..

Either way, great price!

The wine at CSW was G Descombes (Georges) not J Descombes (Jean). Doesn't change the fact that this is my best ever wine buy.
Walt

Georges Descombes is excellent (has one just the other day and posted on it) and in a completely different league than the usually horrible Duboeuf. But since I avoid Duboeuf, I have never tried Jean Descombes, so maybe it's the exception to the rule...

That's an interesting concept. What would be the basis for forming France's Mason Dixon line?

They often talk about Poitiers as the line that stopped the Arab advance but for me the more significant line has always been Montelimar where the mono-cepage becomes blends..

Also, I've always thought of Lyon being the entrance to the concept of Southern France, with the 'Northern Rhone' being the equivalent of Virginia for the U.S.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_France

In any case, Beaujolais does not qualify as southern France by any French usage.

In any case, Beaujolais does not qualify as southern France by any French usage.

My thoughts exactly. I've never heard anyone refer to it as such.

[David M. Bueker]

OF course we could discuss the wine rather than geographical minutia.

Some folks may not like Dubeouf, but the wines are very well made & garner respect from even the most grudgin of critics (e.g. Schildknecht). I wish I could get high quality wine for under $6.

Some folks may not like Dubeouf, but the wines are very well made & garner respect from even the most grudgin of critics (e.g. Schildknecht).

Then I'll have to revisit...

Georges Descombes is excellent (has one just the other day and posted on it) and in a completely different league than the usually horrible Duboeuf. But since I avoid Duboeuf, I have never tried Jean Descombes, so maybe it's the exception to the rule...

Oswaldo,
I could not agree with you more on Duboeuf wines. He has done more to destroy the Beaujolais name than anyone and it is a great wine area. This was an absolute exception. I bought one bottle because of the price but kept going back for more. The vintage was a big plus, my wife loved it, it went with many foods, complex and just a fun drink. What more can you want for $5.49. I am continually looking for good $12-15 wines for every day drinking and this far exceeded the quest.
Walt

This has been a useful thread, Walt. From Schildknecht's comments, Duboeuf may have been getting his act together and jettisoning the dreaded banana yeast (that Jean Descombes may have never used). Always good to reexamine a grudge!

Oswaldo,,have enjoyed numerous bottle of the Jean Desombes Morgon from Dubeouf over the years, very reliable..
Never got the banana treatment that I have noted in some of George the Beef's village wines
Wasn't until recently that I was aware there was a Georges Descombes and he has indeed recvd some very favorable reviews..

Walt..that was indeed a terrific price, great buy..ENJOY..who cares what side of what line?? think of it as a baby burgundy

Jon

Also, I've always thought of Lyon being the entrance to the concept of Southern France, with the 'Northern Rhone' being the equivalent of Virginia for the U.S.

Same here. When driving north to south, Lyon is often where the weather seems to make a change. It's as if you climb into Lyon, and then emerge on the other side running downhill, with the south stretching out ahead of you in a grand vista, and the sun beating overhead.

To say the Duboeuf's wines are "usually horrible" or to say that "he has done more to destroy the Beaujolais name than anyone" is both unfair and inaccurate. I strongly urge all of you Beaujolais lovers to read Rudolph Chelminski's wonderful book "I'll Drink to That" to get a fuller picture of Duboeuf. The first half of the book tells a lot of the history of French wine making in general, and of the Beaujolais region in particular, before it goes on to tell George's very remarkable story, and a fascinating story it is. His wines, if not the finest examples of the region, are good, affordable, and consistent. The notorious banana yeast is old news, over a decade old, short lived, long gone. His Jean Descombes Morgon is the wine that got me started on my love of Beaujolais wines (I think it was the 2005). It's interesting to note that he makes a "Prestige" line of wines that seems to be unavailable here in the US as far as I have been able to determine.

The notorious banana yeast is old news, over a decade old, short lived, long gone...

Interesting how long these stigmas stick around. Sometimes people still mention the anti-freeze thing whenever I tell them that I like Austrian wine.

The J Descombes is $14 around Baltimore/DC, and sounds like a worthy drink even at that price.

The banana in Duboeuf beaujolais wasn't completely evil: It often made for an attractive wine for the non-wine-drinker or newbie, and was a good example of how different the "same" wine could taste. I don't lament its passing, though.

I'm sipping a nice QPR right now, the '07 Grand Veneur Reserve Cotes du Rhone, $11. Not the screaming deal Walt got, but pretty nice fruit and balance, if a touch on the sweet side.

I'm sipping a nice QPR right now, the '07 Grand Veneur Reserve Cotes du Rhone, $11. Not the screaming deal Walt got, but pretty nice fruit and balance, if a touch on the sweet side.

The Grand Veneur is a wine I get in most years but have not tried it yet this year. It is $12 here but hard to beat. I am taking a Ch de Segries CdR to a pizza party tonight and trying to decide on a couple of these $12 '07 CdR to buy and pick up another case this week.
Walt

[David M. Bueker]

Walt,

I will be very curious about the Segries, as I got my hands on a few of their Clos de l'hermitage which I usually enjoy a lot but have not opened yet.