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Around Beaujolais with 1752
Just what is Beaujolais? Is it the ultimate vinous icon of the joyous celebration of life, the passing of the seasons, of a bountiful harvest, as seen with the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau each November? Or is it a wine region to challenge some of the more northerly appellations of Burgundy, a region capable of producing serious wines which will cellar well for up to a decade, if not much longer? Alternatively, is it a region characterised by thin and acidic, or banana-scented and spoofulated wines worthy of our derision and disrespect? I suspect there are just as many if not more proponents of the latter opinion than the former.
It is not surprising that some should try to package the region into a simple sound-bite description such as those presented above; it seems to be a common phenomenon when dealing with large and complex viticultural regions. Why else does discussion of Bordeaux - and here I confess I am as guilty as the next person - rarely look beyond a hundred or so classed growth and Cru Bourgeois châteaux? Are there really no wine values worth discussing beyond the major appellations? And why, for many, does the Loire Valley seem to start and end with Sancerre (and only in its white form, at that)? As with these regions and indeed any other region, however, Beaujolais has more complexity than these simple generalisations allow for. There are many facets to the Beaujolais jewel, some highly polished and interesting, and some perhaps less appealing.
Soils and Vines
Sandwiched between Mâconnais to the north and the Northern Rhône
appellations to the south lie the vineyards of Beaujolais, the name of the
region being derived from its historical capital, Beaujeu, although today
nearby Villefranche-sur-Saône has greater economic significance. The region can
be conveniently bisected according to terroir, with the Nizerand, which
flows west-east across the region into the Saône, providing a
convenient marker of the division. To the south, the Bas Beaujolais is
characterised by sandstone, limestone, sand and clay, the topography is flatter
than further north, and the soils richer; the wines here have the generic
Beaujolais appellation. North of the Nizerand it is a different story;
this is a land of rolling hills affording the vines a more favourable aspect and
drainage, and the soils are schistous or granitic in places, with some
limestone. This is the Haut Beaujolais, much of which has the
Beaujolais Villages appellation, although there are also ten crus here, on the
hilly regions to the north where the schist and granite is most apparent. The
map above shows the ten cru appellations, and although my attempt at
cartography perhaps suggests this is a broad and sweeping region do not be
fooled. The distance between some of the cru villages can be measured in
fractions of a kilometre, as I noticed when I first toured the region in 1997.
From Odenas to St-Amour-Bellevue is less than 30 km, and although I visited the
region by car it would also be ideal for even the most casual of cyclist.
Whatever the status of the vineyard one can be almost certain that it is planted with Gamay, or to be more specific Gamay Noir, to distinguish this variety from the Gamay teinturiers - grapes with red flesh as well as red skins - such as Gamay de Bouze. Gamay Noir covers 98% of the region, with what remains being Chardonnay - particularly favoured where there is limestone - and also some Pinot Noir. Gamay is the natural offspring of Pinot Noir and the little known Gouais, and has been cultivated in the region for at least seven centuries. Some evidence for this history comes from Philippe the Bold, one of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, who spoke out against the variety as early as 1395, and indeed acted to curtail its spread by outlawing its cultivation. Despite this it remained a popular choice with local vignerons as it ripened a full two weeks earlier than Pinot Noir, but the actions of Philippe and others explain to some extent why the variety is concentrated to the south of the Côte d'Or where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate.
The Appellations
Much of what is bottled here is Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages, the distinguishing feature here being vineyard of origin as described above. The occasionally sighted Beaujolais Supérieur is no different to Beaujolais, other than a minimum alcohol of 10% for the former rather than 9% for the latter. Beaujolais Nouveau simply implies early release, on the third Thursday of November following the harvest, and both Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages may append Blanc to their names for their white wines. There is also a tiny amount of rosé. At the top of the Beaujolais pyramid, however, are the ten crus, much more restricted areas of vineyard in the Haut Beaujolais, where quality can be very high indeed. Some have a reputation for elegance and a feminine style, such as St Amour, Fleurie and Chiroubles, whereas others are better associated with the more meaty and certainly ageworthy wines of the region, such as Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. I think to some extent these generalisations hold true, but it is of course as dependent on the viticulteur and vintage as much as anything else. It is too easy for these vineyard and regional characteristics to be drowned out in the cellar, whether by the use of cultured yeast, the whole berry fermentation technique known as carbonic maceration, or atypical use of oak.
This snapshot of Beaujolais does little to convey the region's complexity, but I hope it gives a taster. I suspect to some, who view wine as a symbol of status, where points, prices and the size of your 'wine collection' are all that really seems to matter, this article will be of no interest, but I suspect they will also have stopped reading many paragraphs before this. But to those who view flavour and pleasure as more important, and who can judge these wines for themselves without needing to channel the opinions of others, this is an important wine region. Yes, there are bad wines here. There are scandals, illegally blended wine, secret chaptalisation, funny practices, sometimes funny flavours. But there are also dedicated viticulteurs producing attractive, bright and flavoursome wines which seem to me to have within them nebulous and ill-defined characteristics such as authenticity, typicity and even history. Over the years the wines of Beaujolais have given me much pleasure, and I admit that today I simply don't drink enough of them. Fortunately I have recently had the opportunity to right this wrong, to some small extent at least.
The following wines, representing many of the Beaujolais appellations discussed here, are produced by Serge and Baptiste Condamine-Pillet of Domaine des Souchons. As well as the wines of their domaine the father and son team have recently established themselves as négociants with a range of wines under the 1752 label. In a region where the average vineyard holding is in the order of 10 hectares (often with many small parcels scattered across different terroirs) the Condamine-Pillets bring to the fore a range of wines from small-scale viticulteurs across the region, showcasing many of the crus alongside generic Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais Blanc. Starting first with the white Beaujolais, I was immediately struck by the poise and fresh minerality of the wine, and I found freshness and vivacity was something present across the range. These are good wines which stylistically lean towards the modern and fleshy, but with good structure. There is some oak influence apparent, although nothing overt or overpowering; these wines display their origins as being Beaujolais quite clearly. A number really would benefit from time in the cellar, showing a robust character that demands ageing, and it would be fascinating to see how they do. For now, though, I present my notes of these young wines here as a vicarious exploration of the styles and crus of Beaujolais. (9/9/08)
Around Beaujolais with 1752 - Tasting Notes
Tasted in September 2008. Click
to locate stockists.
1752 Beaujolais Blanc 2007: Terroir often dictates where
Chardonnay rather than Gamay Noir should be planted; here it is clay mixed with
flint or limestone. The wine has a clean appearance with a pale straw hue. A
delightful nose, trace-nuances of honey to suggest a little richness, and a
little oatmeal, but it is counterbalanced by notes of stones, minerals and nettles. A very
fresh entry, some substance but not flashy, with a good slightly bitter grip
underneath, traces of orange peel, peppery weeds and nettles. Good texture
though not at all lean. This is a really nice, understated wine. 16/20
1752 Beaujolais-Villages 2006: The fruit for this wine comes from a
clay-limestone terroir with some granite, mostly from vineyards around
Lancié, which is close to the Morgon, Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent appellations.
This has a good, rather dark colour. Cherry fruits on the nose, with a little heat, slightly roasted
in character perhaps, certainly deep and interesting. A nice flesh on entry,
perhaps leaner midpalate, but always fresh, with some grip and firm acidity and
a stony, cherry-skin fruit. A good bright finish. Overall, fresh, lean but with some
substance, and appealing. 15.5/20
1752 Chiroubles 2006: Chiroubles is one of the smaller crus,
and the terroir here is granite and porphyry. A bright colour, vibrant yet fairly deep, and with a
lively and perfumed nose. There are aromas of cherry fruit, redcurrants, with a little note of cola.
It has a similarly bright character on the palate, with lean but nicely structured fruit,
showing a little grip towards the finish, together with a little bitterness.
Appealing, a little confected and simple perhaps, but also appealingly lean,
slightly stony, and very nicely composed. Overall, good. 15.5/20
1752 Régnié 2006: This is the youngest cru, having been awarded
this status in 1988. The soils here tend to be sandy, and the wines forward and
soft as a result. This example has a fresh, garnet red and quite vibrant hue. A
nose of beets follows, with the
perfume of wild strawberries and violet-flavoured sweets. Pepper too. It has a fresh palate,
lean, broad and sappy, with a good presence in the mouth. There is a nice bitterness,
more pepper towards the finish, a good and forward medley of fruits, more spice than on the nose, but with
that bitter twist that I enjoy showing towards the finish. There is even a
little grip here too. This is really appealing now. A nice style. 16.5+/20
1752 Juliénas 2006: This is one of the more northerly crus,
with a terroir comprised of flint and granite with clay. There is plenty
of tartrate sediment here. The wine has a vibrant hue. On the nose there are
aromas of plums, cherries, spiced wood, raspberries and
strawberries, all with a stony undercurrent. Bright and fresh, straight and well-defined,
and quite fleshy underneath it all, the palate has a fresh leanness but with a cottony texture in
the middle, lending the wine an appealing rounded character, peppered with spice.
There is some nice substance here, and a good grip too, especially in the finish.
This is really appealing. 17+/20
1752 Brouilly 2006: Brouilly is the most southerly, largest and in
terms of quality perhaps the most variable cru. The soils consist of
granite and alluvial sand, and it is perhaps not surprising that the slopes of
the Côte de Brouilly spawn some more impressive wines. Nevertheless, this wine
has a very appealing character, with a quite pure and bright nose, with evocative
plum skin, cherry stone and peppery aromas. It shows a very complete composition
on entry, with just a little flesh, but more importantly a fresh, nicely balanced, broad and
mouth-watering touch of
savoury fruit. Towards the finish there are more complex notes of coffee grounds
and cherries, and a delicious style. This is savoury yet rich in fruit, with a
fine, firm and stony acidity. Really appealing character. Clearly this is one of
the better examples of the appellation. 17.5/20
1752 Saint Amour 2006: Along with Juliénas one of the more northerly
crus, with clay-flint soils responsible for this example. It has a vibrant
cherry red hue, not very dense, followed by a
delightfully fresh and vibrant nose which is openly expressive, displaying
aromas of cherries, beetroot, chalk and smoke. On the palate it shows a leaner
style than some of the other wines which really appeals to me, framing a raft of
savoury and sappy raspberry, cherry, pepper and cream flavours. These
characteristics broaden towards the end where it shows some fleshy yet fresh,
rounded substance. On the finish, stony red fruits and a lovely strawberry
twist. Delightful, lively and incisive; this is what Beaujolais should be about. 17/20
1752 Morgon 2006: Perhaps one of the best known crus, thanks to
its ability to age, the terroir in Morgon has led to the region being
divided into five distinct sub-regions. The fruit for this wine comes from the
Condamine-Pillet domaine itself, predominantly from the Grands Cras and
Côte de Py regions. The wine has a vibrant cherry-red hue in the glass, and an effusive
nose, full of openly expressed and piercing fruit aromas, including cherries and
cherry skins, raspberries and even some plum. Although bright and vibrant, it
also carries an impression of harmony. The palate is ripe, gently textured, but
broad and mouthfilling, although it always displays a fine, vibrant, fresh
acidity. There is even a little creaminess here. With a deep and rather spicy finish, this
is another very good bottle under the 1752 label. 16.5+/20
1752 Fleurie 2006: Perhaps the most central of the cru
communes, with granitic soils, and reputed to produce the most scented and
perfumed wines. This particular Fleurie has a bright and attractive beetroot-purple hue, and also
a little beetroot on the nose rather than any floral character, alongside nuances of raspberry, blackberry, cherry
and chalk. The palate is very well composed, rounded and of some substance, but
bright, fresh and balanced. This is not a delicate wine, being textured with a little extract,
but it is certainly nicely poised, and has fresh flavours of summer fruits, peaches and a subtle background trace of
banana. Overall this is appealing, minerally, with a wet-pebble character, and plenty of pretty
substance. A delightful wine. 17/20
1752 Moulin à Vent 2006: Surely the most famous of the appellations,
if only for the windmill that stands amongst the vines. The wines are, however,
potentially very good and worth cellaring. This has an appealing hue, a fresh colour with a rather firm,
claretty core. A rather densely styled nose, with cherry fruit and a little milk
chocolate, plum skins and cranberry. The palate broadens out quickly, and shows
plenty of texture and substance for the appellation, along with a
fruit-freshness that has good appeal. Towards the finish it rounds out and shows
more depth, some spice and even a little ripe grip. There is quite a lot of meat
to this wine, and I think it would do well in the cellar for a year or two.
Good. 16.5+//20
Domaine des Souchons Morgon Cuvée Claude Pillet 2005: Finally, a wine
from the Condamine-Pillet domaine per se. This is a rather serious looking
Beaujolais, with a moderate depth of colour, and a
rather youthful red-black hue. The nose carries aromas of smoke and sandalwood,
and rather hot fruit, with dried cherries to the fore. The palate is full and
rather sappy, the fruit character somewhat macerated with a little berry-like
astringency, and the acidity is sharp, alongside an appealing sour character. Just a touch
of coffee grounds at the finish. This wine is difficult to judge; it is clearly
a serious cuvée which I suspect will benefit from some further time in bottle,
and yet I find it a little overworked in places. I think the best plan for this
wine would be some time in the cellar, preferably a few years. 16+?/20
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