The place for all things wine, focused on serious wine discussions.

Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

Moderators: Jenise, Robin Garr, David M. Bueker

no avatar
User

Bob Parsons Alberta

Rank

aka Doris

Posts

10773

Joined

Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:09 pm

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Tue Apr 10, 2012 1:13 am

WTN: 2009 Domaine Manoir du Carra Fleurie.

First time I have come across this winery but seems to have quite a track record in Europe. Father and son operation, 50 yr old vines, semi-carbonic maceration, aged in foudres four months.

$26 Cdn, 13% alc, good natural cork, served slight chilled. Medium depth of color, light purple rim.
Floral violets on the nose with some spice and plenty of red berries. Still has some tannins, needs food as finish is tad astringent. Think needs more time here, say a year, but balance is good and gamay for sure. Good fruit, cherry and red berry, a pleasant offering overall. Will be even better when it rounds out.
no avatar
User

Tim York

Rank

Wine guru

Posts

4924

Joined

Tue May 09, 2006 2:48 pm

Location

near Lisieux, France

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Tim York » Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:17 am

Bob Parsons Alberta wrote:WTN: 2009 Domaine Manoir du Carra Fleurie.

served slight chilled


This brings up the interesting issue of the right temperature for red Beaujolais. At one time, it was quite frequent to get Beaujolais at fridge temperature in France which IMO is far too cold for most wines, be they red, white or pink. More reasonable is service at "cellar temperature", conventionally deemed to be about 13°C/55°F for a perfect cellar. I would be happy with that for fruity young generic Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages. However I think that the sturdier examples and particularly crus express themselves better slightly less fresh, say around 15°C/59°F, which is only slightly less than the temperature at which I like red Burgundy.

And other views?
Tim York
no avatar
User

Ben Rotter

Rank

Ultra geek

Posts

295

Joined

Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:59 pm

Location

Sydney, Australia (currently)

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Ben Rotter » Tue Apr 10, 2012 7:05 am

Tim York wrote:This brings up the interesting issue of the right temperature for red Beaujolais... 13°C/55°F... I would be happy with that for fruity young generic Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages... I think that the sturdier examples and particularly crus express themselves better slightly less fresh, say around 15°C/59°F... And other views?


Good point. I share your view, though with bigger styles I might also go a degree or two or three higher (Celsius).
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34220

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by David M. Bueker » Tue Apr 10, 2012 12:10 pm

For the crus I generally prefer in the mid-60s. Smaller wines in the high 50s.
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Tom V

Rank

Ultra geek

Posts

316

Joined

Thu Jun 15, 2006 11:33 pm

Location

nyc

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Tom V » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:56 pm

Robin said: "we're getting about as far around the calendar from Nouveau as we can get, and maybe that's a good thing"

OK, I have to get this off my chest, I really like Beaujolais Nouveau! Maybe I've just been lucky, but it's some of the very best under $10. wine that I've had the pleasure to enjoy. Ah, now I feel better.
no avatar
User

Ben Rotter

Rank

Ultra geek

Posts

295

Joined

Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:59 pm

Location

Sydney, Australia (currently)

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Ben Rotter » Fri Apr 13, 2012 6:38 am

For a change, some recent disappointments:

Julie Balagny Fleurie En Remont 2010. My first Balagny wine. It strangely reminded me of both some "natural" Gamay wines I've had from the Loire (e.g. Puzelat) and of lighter styled sweet fruited Australian reds (because there is some serious confection to the cherry/cranberry/red plum fruit). Just too candied (and overpriced) for me.

Jean Paul Brun (Domaine de Terres Dorees) Fleurie 2009. Showing attractive fruits of a Northern European summer (though actually quite dark fruited), inky, mineral (basalt), but devoid of the stereotypical fragrance/florals/lift of Fleurie. Keen acidity, some pleasant grip, and lingering. Good, but I was expecting more from it.

Jean Claude Lapalu Brouilly Croix des Rameaux 2007. My experience with Lapalu's wines has not left me a fan, but I've yet to work out why that is. (I think it may be something about the style - a specific combination of flavours, weight and texture.) This bottle was no different, so fans should perhaps ignore this note. It showed (for me) some of the flavour characteristics of older Brouilly (undergrowth, wood fungus and a little volatile plum) but the balance just wasn't quite right for me.
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34220

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by David M. Bueker » Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:14 am

2010 Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Côte du Py Javernières
Seems to be a work in progress right now. There's quite a bit of fruit, and it has a tart edge versus being uniformly sweet. The structure of the wine is a little too apparent, with a notably chalky mouthfeel that needs to resolve a bit for the wine to be more pleasurable drinking. Overall it's a very tight wine right now, so best to wait a little while before opening any more bottles.
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Bob Parsons Alberta

Rank

aka Doris

Posts

10773

Joined

Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:09 pm

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Fri Apr 13, 2012 8:42 am

Ben, that is a surprise note reference the Brun. I have the Brouilly, so should open maybe?
no avatar
User

Tim York

Rank

Wine guru

Posts

4924

Joined

Tue May 09, 2006 2:48 pm

Location

near Lisieux, France

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Tim York » Fri Apr 13, 2012 11:56 am

Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Traditionnelle 2010 - Domaine du Vissoux, Pierre-Marie Chermette - Alc.12% - (c.€8-9).

We have had some discussion about service temperature for Beaujolais and inadvertently I did an experiment with this bottle by bringing it up too early because of a mistake about the dinner's timing. And a second experiment, intended this time, was to see how it measured up to the remaining quarter of a bottle of Beaumes-de-Venise red (formerly a CDRV), which having been in the fridge until an hour or so before was slightly cooler (c.15°C).

By the time we got to the Bojo, it was at about 18°C (c.64°F) and its fruit seemed both coarser and surprisingly sweeter than that of the Southern Rhône with notes not a million miles away from banana and the expected plum fruit more akin to prunes; I missed the lively spiciness of the Rhône and the overall effect was rather heavy.

For my palate, cooling down the Bojo a couple or so degrees C was entirely beneficial. The wine which emerged was medium/full with lively, round and quite complex and dense plum fruit with prune hints still in the background but banana almost entirely disappeared. There was smooth/lively acidity and more, but ripe, tannic structure than usual in simple Bojo. Like this, it was moreish as befits Bojo; 15.5/20+.

And here, for comparison, is a TN from February on the Rhône -

Beaumes de Venise Terres Blanches 2010 – Domaine de Fenouillet – Alc.14% - (c.€9), made from Grenache 60%, Syrah, 30% and Mourvèdre 10%, showed nice round and peppery red fruit, lively acidity, mineral touches and some tannic structure. IMO a model modestly priced southern Rhône; 15.5/20++++ QPR.
Tim York
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21609

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Robin Garr » Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:05 pm

Tom V wrote:OK, I have to get this off my chest, I really like Beaujolais Nouveau! Maybe I've just been lucky, but it's some of the very best under $10. wine that I've had the pleasure to enjoy. Ah, now I feel better.

Well done! :lol:

I mostly rant about the industrial Nouveau, Tom, and my sense that for some of the mass-market producers it's more about cash flow fueled by hype than about real quality.

But yeah, I always try it, and I've enjoyed some of them. :oops:
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21609

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

[WTN] JP Brun 2010 "Terres Dorées" Côte de Brouilly

by Robin Garr » Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:09 pm

Not infanticide at all ...

Jean-Paul Brun 2010 "Terres Dorées" Côte de Brouilly ($20.99)

Clear dark cherry color. Consistent with past vintages it is subtle but by no means wimpy. Wild strawberry aromas add hints of tart cherry and red clay. Dry and crisp, distinct cherry-berry flavors and subtle minerality come together in a tart, mouth-watering flavor with soft tannins providing structure. If you're used to a more tutti-fritti style of Beaujolais with flowers on the label, this more "serious" - yet entirely enjoyable - model may open new vistas for you. U.S. importer: LDM Wines Inc., NYC; Louis/Dressner Selections. (March 31, 2012)

FOOD MATCH: I paired it with great success with a Spanish egg tortilla stuffed with potatoes, onions and garlic. It also serves well with poultry, pork or even beef.

VALUE: The price of this wine has jumped $4 since the 2008 vintage, a 24% increase that appears significantly greater than the inflation rate. I'm not excited about this, but in fairness, the wine is good enough to justify its $21 toll.

PRONUNCIATION:
Brouilly = "Brewl-yee"

WEB LINK: The home page of importer Louis/Dressner Selections offers this article about of Jean-Paul Brun and his wines.
http://louisdressner.com/Brun/

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Unfortunately, my source, Chambers Street Wines, appears to be out of Brun's Beaujolais at this time. However, this link to the wine shop returns a list of many other Beaujolais from fine artisanal producers.
http://www.chambersstwines.com/#categoryID_3

Find other vendors and compare prices for J.P. Brun Côte de Brouilly on Wine-Searcher.com.
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Brun% ... g_site=WLP
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34220

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by David M. Bueker » Fri Apr 13, 2012 12:35 pm

$20.99 may seem tough to take, but the 2005 was $18.99, so looking at hte longer term...
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21609

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Robin Garr » Fri Apr 13, 2012 4:54 pm

David M. Bueker wrote:$20.99 may seem tough to take, but the 2005 was $18.99, so looking at hte longer term...

Funny the 2008 was only $16.99 (Chambers Street). Vintage variation?
no avatar
User

David M. Bueker

Rank

Riesling Guru

Posts

34220

Joined

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:52 am

Location

Connecticut

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by David M. Bueker » Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:46 pm

Robin Garr wrote:
David M. Bueker wrote:$20.99 may seem tough to take, but the 2005 was $18.99, so looking at hte longer term...

Funny the 2008 was only $16.99 (Chambers Street). Vintage variation?


Vagaries of the exchange rate.
Decisions are made by those who show up
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21609

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Robin Garr » Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:29 pm

David M. Bueker wrote:
Robin Garr wrote:
David M. Bueker wrote:$20.99 may seem tough to take, but the 2005 was $18.99, so looking at hte longer term...

Funny the 2008 was only $16.99 (Chambers Street). Vintage variation?


Vagaries of the exchange rate.

Maybe, but I'm under the impression that the exchange rate is better today than it was two years ago, or five. But then, what do I know? :lol:
no avatar
User

John F

Rank

Ultra geek

Posts

451

Joined

Sat May 20, 2006 3:50 am

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by John F » Sat Apr 14, 2012 6:23 am

ChaimShraga wrote:Marcel Lapierre, Morgon, 2009

I had a good run with my bottles of this wine, and it's hard to let go. This is still a fresh, fruity wine with silky tannins, a salty/earthy finish and lovely acidity, while the nose is typically pungent with a dusty, earthy appeal. I wish I could talk about this wine in fairly conventional tasting-notes qualifications of complexity and finesse and balance, but its charms are off on another plane, in the way it it riffs off a few simple themes (think of Neil Young as a reference point) that bring it close to to Nuits or Gevrey stylistically, without surrendering its grasp on its Gamay-ness. Very tasty, too.



I love the Lapierre wines.......great value too
no avatar
User

Rahsaan

Rank

Wild and Crazy Guy

Posts

9206

Joined

Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:20 pm

Location

New York, NY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Rahsaan » Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:38 am

Robin Garr wrote:Maybe, but I'm under the impression that the exchange rate is better today than it was two years ago, or five. But then, what do I know?


I think today's exchange rate (or the exchange rate at time of your retail purpose) is a lot less important than exchange rate at time of importer's purchase.
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21609

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Robin Garr » Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:24 am

Rahsaan wrote:
Robin Garr wrote:Maybe, but I'm under the impression that the exchange rate is better today than it was two years ago, or five. But then, what do I know?


I think today's exchange rate (or the exchange rate at time of your retail purpose) is a lot less important than exchange rate at time of importer's purchase.

True, but let's review: $19 for the 2005. $17 for the 2008. $21 for the 2010. That's a significantly "U"-shaped curve over five years, and whether we pin it to importer's purchase or retailer's purchase or consumer's purchase time doesn't matter much: I don't recall that marked a pattern occurring in the Euro-dollar exchange rate at any time since the early 2000s. On the other hand, I haven't been traveling much in the last few years, so I may have overlooked something. To the best of your knowledge, has the exchange rate moved in that pattern at any time since 2005? Has it risen that dramatically since 2008? It appears to me that the Euro has dropped (along a jagged line) from $1.60 to $1.30 over the past four years.
no avatar
User

Joe Moryl

Rank

Wine guru

Posts

978

Joined

Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:38 pm

Location

New Jersey, USA

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Joe Moryl » Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:17 pm

Robin Garr wrote:
David M. Bueker wrote:$20.99 may seem tough to take, but the 2005 was $18.99, so looking at hte longer term...

Funny the 2008 was only $16.99 (Chambers Street). Vintage variation?


Robin,
The 2010 Brun Brouilly is $17.98 at Wine Library (which happens to be a local shop for me), so the increase might be due partly to Chambers pricing as well. Still love the place, but recently some of their prices seem to be a bit higher than their larger competitors (and are still better than many "boutique" places).
no avatar
User

Lyn Archer

Rank

Cellar rat

Posts

12

Joined

Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:57 am

Location

Seattle

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Lyn Archer » Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:27 pm

Hi:
Just joined your fine forum - any words of wisdom from folks who may have traveled to Beaujolais? My husband and I are heading there in May for our first visit. Cheers!
Lyn
no avatar
User

Jenise

Rank

FLDG Dishwasher

Posts

42509

Joined

Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:45 pm

Location

The Pacific Northest Westest

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Jenise » Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:00 pm

John F wrote:
ChaimShraga wrote:Marcel Lapierre, Morgon, 2009

I had a good run with my bottles of this wine, and it's hard to let go. This is still a fresh, fruity wine with silky tannins, a salty/earthy finish and lovely acidity, while the nose is typically pungent with a dusty, earthy appeal. I wish I could talk about this wine in fairly conventional tasting-notes qualifications of complexity and finesse and balance, but its charms are off on another plane, in the way it it riffs off a few simple themes (think of Neil Young as a reference point) that bring it close to to Nuits or Gevrey stylistically, without surrendering its grasp on its Gamay-ness. Very tasty, too.



I love the Lapierre wines.......great value too



Ditto. I bought magnums of the 09.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
no avatar
User

Rahsaan

Rank

Wild and Crazy Guy

Posts

9206

Joined

Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:20 pm

Location

New York, NY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Rahsaan » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:03 pm

Robin Garr wrote:True, but let's review: $19 for the 2005. $17 for the 2008. $21 for the 2010. That's a significantly "U"-shaped curve over five years, and whether we pin it to importer's purchase or retailer's purchase or consumer's purchase time doesn't matter much: I don't recall that marked a pattern occurring in the Euro-dollar exchange rate at any time since the early 2000s. On the other hand, I haven't been traveling much in the last few years, so I may have overlooked something. To the best of your knowledge, has the exchange rate moved in that pattern at any time since 2005? Has it risen that dramatically since 2008? It appears to me that the Euro has dropped (along a jagged line) from $1.60 to $1.30 over the past four years.


Look at the historical data online. It's been going up and down for years between $1.60 and $1.30 depending on the time of year.

But, I'm not sure the difference between $19 and $17 is even 'significant'. That's pretty much the same price and could just as easily reflect slight discount/rounding from retailers to clear inventory.

To really get a handle on this we would need more comprehensive data on pricing across the US over several years and then track that with time of importer purchase and exchange rates. But I'm not about to do this!
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21609

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Robin Garr » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:14 pm

Rahsaan wrote:To really get a handle on this we would need more comprehensive data on pricing across the US over several years and then track that with time of importer purchase and exchange rates. But I'm not about to do this!

No, I don't think any of us are that interested!
no avatar
User

Robin Garr

Rank

Forum Janitor

Posts

21609

Joined

Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:44 pm

Location

Louisville, KY

Re: Wine Focus for April: Beaujolais!

by Robin Garr » Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:14 pm

Lyn Archer wrote:Hi:
Just joined your fine forum - any words of wisdom from folks who may have traveled to Beaujolais? My husband and I are heading there in May for our first visit. Cheers!

Welcome, Lyn! I hope we have some seasoned Beaujolais travelers here who can help.
PreviousNext

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Amazonbot and 4 guests

Powered by phpBB ® | phpBB3 Style by KomiDesign