Tag Archives: gamay

Domaine Lucien Lardy Fleurie Les Roches Vieilles Vignes, Beaujolais, France

13 Tuesday Aug 2019

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Many moons ago Moxie and I went to Paris on one of several trips to that great city.  Drinking wine  in the cafe’s I noticed that sometimes they would serve a red wine slightly chilled.  Turns out, that’s how they enjoy their Beaujolais wines, which are made in a slightly different method and use the Gamay grape.  Many are designed to be drunk young, as in weeks old, while there are several Cru wines that have some aging capacity.  I bought a few bottles of this Fleurie to savor in the heat of the summer after they had a slight chill.

This one is quite dark purple and just barely see-through.  It gives off typical Gamay notes of black currants alongside oak, charcoal and violets.  On the palate I get definitive black currants and cedar shavings.  There is a surprising level of tannin alongside some black tea notes.  There is a nice level of acidity to balance and the wine leaves me wanting more.  The mid palate is really quite dry, bolstering the blackberry flavors and giving me a peak of Ribena as we go to the finish.  The wine has a long dry streak at the end but it does it with finesse and plenty of black fruits.  The pros were all over the scoring table with this one, ranging from 86-91.  I think it drinks nicely now and will cellar till 2024.  90 points and 4 stars for this $18 wine.  Pair with roasted birds, potato and leek rosti or with some soft, ripe Brie.  Salut….

Maison Loron & Fils Fleurie Les Saprolites 2015, Beaujolais, France

25 Saturday Feb 2017

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Disclaimer- I’m tasting this wine in the confines of an aircraft cabin, where tastes and smells are often distorted by the rarified air.  Nose of grape juice, cinnamon and a woody hint.  On the palate I’m getting plum and blueberries with a rather surprising dose of tannins that are gripping the gums in a delightful manner.  I say surprising because this style of wine from Beaujolais is made differently.  Usually macerated, it doesn’t get much contact with the skins hence the normal ‘freshness’ of the region that gives up the long term cellaring capabilities of the wine by reducing tannic structure.  In return, a generally lighter style of fruit forward wine is crafted for short to mid term cellaring.  This particular wine will run for 5-8 years more and pair beautifully with roast chicken, pizza or some carpaccio and olive starters.  89 points.  Really delicious and for about $18 per bottle it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….
fleurie les saprolites

La Boheme Act 4 Syrah Gamay Yarra Valley 2013

14 Sunday Jun 2015

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Indeed, a blend of Syrah and Gamay.  Best known as the key ingredient in Beaujolais, the Gamay grape is lighter and more perfumed than most.  It can be made in several styles from the easy drinking Nouveau to the cellar worthy Cru Beaujolais.  I have fond memories of drinking it in the cafe’s of Paris and long to return- slightly chilled and always refreshing with a lunch of steak frites.  When I saw the two varietals combined and from Australia no less I felt obliged to spend $10, my curiosity was immense.

Interesting nose of grape jelly with a touch of oak.  Light and refreshing, like Gamay should be. Tart and tannic like a syrah can be. Very unique attack with some plum, purple skittles, and violets. Medium finish and a tannic exit. A must try just to see how the two grapes intertwine. 87 points. 3 stars. $10. 13.5%  make it a tidy number for an al fresco lunch without being too heady.  I will be buying more soon, as I feel this one might develop some interesting hints in the short term.  Salut….

La boheme syrah gamayIMG_2691

 

Chateau des Jacques Morgon 2010

27 Friday Jun 2014

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When was the last time you had a Beaujolais wine, or a wine made from Gamay?  It’s been ages for me as I am not a fan of Beaujolais Nouvea and steer clear of the stuff every November on it’s annual release date.  I digress….. Last week I was on my way to Bali and drank this wine on the flight with my main course having just had the Vigneron de Buxy ‘Tete de Cuvee’ Bourgogne 2012 with the starter.  I was very impressed and glad I tried it.  It reminded me of lunches spent in Parisian restaurants, sipping chilled Brouilly on a warm summers day with Moxie.

Throwback picture of a Parisian lunch with my gal Moxie

Throwback picture of a Parisian lunch with my gal Moxie

Back to the wine… It hails from one of the 10 Cru villages in Beaujolais.  I shall just cut and paste my brief notes.

Nose of underbrush and dried cranberries.  Slightly dry tannic attack with bright acidity.  Crunchy wet fresh washed cherries.  Touch of oak with a nice spiciness.  3 to 5 years with good tannic structure and tart acidity, 90 points.  I found it on the web for about $20, which is a great price.  I would drink this all summer long with a variety of foods including chicken salad, salmon on the grill, burgers on the charcoal, even a plate of cold cuts.  4 stars for this Louis Jadot offering.  Salut….

Louis Jadot Chateau des Jacques Morgon

Fleurie Cuvee Prestige Les Chambards 2011

30 Sunday Jun 2013

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Our trip to Bali took us via Hong Kong, and the final leg was a lunchtime flight in Business class for just over 4 hours.  I sampled all they had and started with this little gem.  If you have ever had Gamay grapes, they were probably in some cheap and nasty Beaujolais Nouveau.  Fleurie is an appellation within the Beaujoulais region which straddles the Rhone and Burgundy regions in France.  The grape itself is thin skinned and low in tannins.  Fleurie is considered a step up from traditional wines of the region and has some aging capacity.

This particular cuvee was textbook Gamay; light, pungent and floral on the nose with some strawberry and rose on the palate. Very delicate in the mouth, it is a very smooth and easy wine to drink.  No marked tannins and a good acidic structure made this well suited to the lighter fare I chose.  I would not pair it with red meat, but rather salmon, roast chicken or a cobb salad would do the trick.  I’m not sure how widely available this wine is nor do I know the price.  Technically speaking i would guess at 87 points and think it would be a 3 star wine if priced under $15.  Worthy of a try if you come across it.  Of note, this style of wine is one of my preferred summertime lunch wines when chilled slightly.

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