by katrin on January 9, 2012
In the continuing search for a perfect wine for a dinner for 500 guests, my colleagues and I tried two wines in a lighter style: the 2010 Jean-Marc Burgaud Régnié “Vallières” Beaujolais Cru and the 2009 Giacomo Ascheri Barbera d’Alba Vigna Fontanelle. We were split between these two options, both of which we liked a lot.
The Burgaud come from the Régnié appellation, which is the most recent addition to the Beaujolais Cru category, having been designated in 1988. Fortunately, the initial aromas of sweat and horse and flavor of leather dissipated after about 20 minutes, allowing the fruit – primarily bright sour cherry and raspberry – to come forward. A couple of my colleagues picked up on a slight green undertone, which I would describe as an herbaceous quality. The palate was dusty with a stony minerality and pepperiness. Medium-plus acidity with modest, but tactile tannins. Streamlined. Unmistakably Gamay in a very good way, I found this to be a very appealing wine.
At Vinodivino for $16.50.
The Ascheri Barbera d’Alba was immediately likeable with pronounced black cherry juice and blueberry aromas. The palate was ripe, spicier, and richer than the Beaujolais. I thought that the oak had been used judiciously, lending light vanilla, particularly on the palate. Medium-plus acidity, medium tannins, medium-minus body, with a good, long-lasting finish. The longer it was open, the more rustic it started to get.
At Gordon’s Fine Wine for $15.99.
by katrin on January 6, 2012
The Chateau de La Chaize from Beaujolais’s Brouilly appellation hails from the famed 2009 vintage. It is a semi-finalist for the red wine to be served at the dinner I mentioned in my previous post. My fellow tasters and I liked that it is tasty, interesting, and fresh, with neither tannins nor acidity overly asserting themselves. A solid, middle of the road kind of wine that won’t offend, will go well with the meal, and just might win over some new fans to the growing Beaujolais camp. While Chateau de La Chaize eschews labels like “organic” and “biodynamic”, they do incorporate some of the principals of these practices in their viticulture, including limiting chemicals and planting grass between rows.
Blueberry and cherry aromas and flavors mingle with floral notes, a bit of banana, and a hint of spice. There is a grapiness to this wine. Medium-plus acidity, medium-minus tannins, body is on the light side and the finish is a little short.
Being well received by all six tasters, myself included, the Chateau de La Chaize is a strong contender. Have a suggestion for what to serve 500 people? Please let me know!
At Gordon’s Fine Wines for $14.99.
by katrin on January 31, 2011
I credit fellow blogger Glenn with introducing me to the joys of Beaujolais. For good reason, he has been an advocate of these relatively light and pleasant – but not necessarily simple – wines for as long as I can remember. The 2009 vintage has been hailed as outstanding and “once-in-a-lifetime” by winemakers like George Duboeuf and critics alike, and you will certainly be seeing a few more reviews of wines from this vintage on Wine Dine With Us.
The appearance, as with many younger Beaujolais wines, is fresh and bright. Cherries and fresh raspberries are immediately apparent in the nose, but some vigorous swirling will reveal dried apricots and smokiness. Racy and streamlined, the acidity gives this wine its backbone with the delicate tannins rounding out the mouthfeel. This is a light-bodied wine that is both incredibly food-friendly and delicious on its own. We enjoyed it with eggplant stuffed with meat sauce. I usually would have chosen a heartier wine to go with this dish, but I simply could not wait to try this wine. It turned out to be a great match. A fantastic value to drink now or in warmer temperatures!
At Marty’s Fine Wine for $13.
P.S. Be sure to also check out our write-up of several Beaujolais Cru and Villages wines from our tasting last fall.
by katrin on November 30, 2010
Ever since our Roundtable tasting of Beaujolais Villages and Crus this fall, I cannot seem to keep these wonderful wines out of my mind or glass. Lettie Teague’s great article “Quality Beaujolais: It’s No Oxymoron” in last Saturday’s Wall Street Journal made me hopeful that these wines, which are often dismissed out of hand due to their association with Beaujolais Nouveau, would gain the recognition they deserve.
Tonight I am trying a wine I picked up at Wine Library in New Jersey a couple of weeks ago from the Côte de Brouilly appellation. Côte de Brouilly is located on the slopes of Mont Brouilly and within the larger Brouilly appellation. As I pour it into the glass, I can’t help but think that it looks bright and very fresh, which of course it is, being a 2009. It is a lovely violet with black in the core. Fresh fruits dominate the nose, particularly blueberry, strawberry, and plum. The palate is focused and clean, with pomegranate juice and white pepper. The mouthfeel is taut and mouthwatering, with the acidity and the young tannins hitting at the same time.
I keep reading that this wine should be aged in the bottle for two to four years, but I don’t think I could resist it that long. A delicious wine to enjoy now.
At Wine Library for $14.98.
by glenn on October 11, 2010
I was once on the Beaujolais Nouveau bandwagon. I would anticipate that day in late November when the current vintage would be released and flood the market with total plonk. This was supposed to be a celebratory occasion. But I fell off that bandwagon. My undoing was a wine from the Julienas region of Beaujolais offered by Georges Duboeuf, the approach-avoidance King of Beaujolais. The wine was a revelation – Beaujolais did not have to be thin, acidic stuff but rather could be a wine of some finesse and structure. As for “approach-avoid” Georges, no one has done more to promote Crus Beaujolais while at the same time maligning an entire region with the release of the dubious Noveaux. We at WDWU had never done a tasting devoted to Beaujolais; our autumn roundtable would provide an opportunity for us to delve into these wines which bridge the seasons so well. These wines are very distinctively French – there is nothing “New World” about them. We serendipitously chose wines representing the three quality levels of Beaujolais – Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages and Cru Beaujolais. In each category, Eleni, Katrin, and I found wines to recommend and enjoy. As a long-time fan of these wines, I encourage you to expand your wine horizons and explore this region of France. – Glenn
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In the continuing search for a perfect wine for a dinner for 500 guests, my colleagues and I tried two wines in a lighter style: the 2010 Jean-Marc Burgaud Régnié “Vallières” Beaujolais Cru and the 2009 Giacomo Ascheri Barbera d’Alba Vigna Fontanelle. We were split between these two options, both of which we liked a lot.
