Le Beaujolais
There is absolutely nothing wrong with well-chosen Beaujolais. Bad marketing is at fault. It has stained the honour of a region wherein reside honourable men who create traditional ageworthy Cru Beaujolais. Wines from Morgon have been confused with Bourgogne Rouge. I'll never forget the inky purple blackness of the 1995 Morgon from Henry Fessy's Domaine de Calot. It could have been Rhône-grown it was so rich. On one occasion a business meeting was animated and needed moderating so I quietly poured a Juliénas, again from Fessy, and as I poured my own glass and sat to enjoy it I noticed the room had become quiet. All eyes turned from their stems to mine in awe and apreciation as they raised their glasses to good wine, good friends, good god y'all, hunh!
Like all of my in depth studies, we're gonna look at this region from a standpoint that terroir, the taste of site, if you will is primary. The French recognize this and so have nomenclature, which reflects this. Pretty much from North to South the Cru Beaujolais run thus…St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnié, Brouilly, and Côte de Brouilly. This is the fabled land of the Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc grape. It is rumored that small amounts of Chardonnay and Aligoté are bottled as Beaujolais Blanc and Beaujolais-Villages Blanc, but I have yet to taste these rarities. So we will only concern ourselves with this noble red grape and with the finest producers. Passing attention only for the generic Beaujolais as well as the next step up in quality namely Beaujolais-Villages. I am going to ignore the faddish craze of Beaujo-Nouveau as it is rarely worth our time and partly responsible for the low esteem in which the real Beaujolais is held.
Beaujo is not just wine from the Gamay grape grown in the hilly granite vineyards of France. It is a result of traditional winemaking practises such as the whole bunch hand harvested grapes that result in carbonic maceration. The bottom grapes give off carbon dioxide as they ferment and this gas bubbles up through the topmost bunches and leads to intracellular fermentation. This technique coaxes exotic aromas and refreshing fruit flavors from a simple grape. The must is pressed and added to the free run juice and malolactic fermentation occurs. Luxury cuvées get cask ageing and if they are fortunate hand bottling. The vast majority of the wine is to be consumed within a year or two and is to be treated like water. Enjoyed not fawned over.
recommended wines:
Pick your way through the Dubeouf selections and demand Fessy!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
The Grapes A-Z
Barbera
Blackberries are the first fruit descriptor that pops into my mind. Ripe tannins with a touch of leather whip the wine into shape. The bright acidity without over concentration of flavor or body makes this a great match to the Piemontese fare of its origin or useful anywhere that subtle, complimentary wines are appreciated. Not the noblest of grapes, surely it’s outshone by Nebbiolo and Sangiovese but Barbera is still a most pleasant drink for Everyman.
Recommended wines;
Of course the only Barbera I have on my recommended list is the most gorgeous example created by the master Bruno Giacosa. The sweet and long beauty is crazy expensive and can be searched under the Falleto label, the 2005 to be precise. I believe it will run you anywhere from $60 to $100 depending on rent, greed, etc.
Not to be confused with the Nebbiolo based Barbaresco, or Barolo also of the Piedmont.
Blackberries are the first fruit descriptor that pops into my mind. Ripe tannins with a touch of leather whip the wine into shape. The bright acidity without over concentration of flavor or body makes this a great match to the Piemontese fare of its origin or useful anywhere that subtle, complimentary wines are appreciated. Not the noblest of grapes, surely it’s outshone by Nebbiolo and Sangiovese but Barbera is still a most pleasant drink for Everyman.
Recommended wines;
Of course the only Barbera I have on my recommended list is the most gorgeous example created by the master Bruno Giacosa. The sweet and long beauty is crazy expensive and can be searched under the Falleto label, the 2005 to be precise. I believe it will run you anywhere from $60 to $100 depending on rent, greed, etc.
Not to be confused with the Nebbiolo based Barbaresco, or Barolo also of the Piedmont.
The Grapes A-Z
Arbois
Obscure white variety from the Loire which graces Cheverny and Valencay. Legally it can be included in Touraine and Vouvray. A.k.a. as Menu Pineau and/orPetit Pineau. Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None yet reported, probably never will.
Obscure white variety from the Loire which graces Cheverny and Valencay. Legally it can be included in Touraine and Vouvray. A.k.a. as Menu Pineau and/orPetit Pineau. Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None yet reported, probably never will.
The Grapes A-Z
Amurensis
This is an alleged habitué of Northern China and so is known for its hardiness. I say alleged because I have never seen it or tasted it but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Something Greek and elegiac in the name, Amurensis, no? Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None yet reported
This is an alleged habitué of Northern China and so is known for its hardiness. I say alleged because I have never seen it or tasted it but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Something Greek and elegiac in the name, Amurensis, no? Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None yet reported
Monday, August 8, 2011
The Grapes from A-Z
Auxerrois
I include Auxerrois in two varieties. First, as the a.k.a. of the black grape Malbec in the Cahors region, and secondly as a white grape from Alsace. Further obfuscation occurs when one considers the Auxerrois Gris, a synonym for Pinot Gris and Auxerrois Blanc as Chardonnay’s label in the Moselle region.
Malbec as Auxerrois, or Cot is a contributor to Cahors and is responsible for some rustic, full flavored red wine. Tannat and Merlot are allowed but no more than 30% of the final blend.
Auxerrois in Alsace is a hidden white grape, rarely appearing on a wine label, it does yeoman duty as filler for Pinot Blanc and Edelzwicker, the white blend. , Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None appear in my current selections, sorry.
I include Auxerrois in two varieties. First, as the a.k.a. of the black grape Malbec in the Cahors region, and secondly as a white grape from Alsace. Further obfuscation occurs when one considers the Auxerrois Gris, a synonym for Pinot Gris and Auxerrois Blanc as Chardonnay’s label in the Moselle region.
Malbec as Auxerrois, or Cot is a contributor to Cahors and is responsible for some rustic, full flavored red wine. Tannat and Merlot are allowed but no more than 30% of the final blend.
Auxerrois in Alsace is a hidden white grape, rarely appearing on a wine label, it does yeoman duty as filler for Pinot Blanc and Edelzwicker, the white blend. , Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None appear in my current selections, sorry.
The Grapes from A-Z
Aubun
I wish I loved Aubun because it is a decidedly rare, black-berried grape, found mostly in southern France. But the reality is it’s been outperformed by Counoise and Carignan, which it resembles, albeit in a lesser way and therefore is doomed. Can’t win ‘em all, Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None, sorry
I wish I loved Aubun because it is a decidedly rare, black-berried grape, found mostly in southern France. But the reality is it’s been outperformed by Counoise and Carignan, which it resembles, albeit in a lesser way and therefore is doomed. Can’t win ‘em all, Cheers, CS.
Recommended wines;
None, sorry
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