Maison Loron & Fils Fleurie Les Saprolites 2015, Beaujolais, France
25 Saturday Feb 2017
Posted in Wine reviews
25 Saturday Feb 2017
Posted in Wine reviews
14 Sunday Jun 2015
Posted in Wine reviews
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….
27 Friday Jun 2014
Posted in Wine reviews
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.
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….
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.