As I'm sitting here wrapping up monthly inventory with my mug of Starbucks, my thoughts return to one of the bottles I tasted this week. While one often thinks of enjoying a nice crisp white about mid-day (especially with your face buried in a spreadsheet of the great wines of the world), with the cool breeze that's currently glazing over Los Angeles this afternoon, I'm reminded of how delicious and refreshing Cru Beaujolais can be at a time like this. And with the profound 2009 vintage on the market right now, there will likely never be a better time than right now to go enjoy a bottle!
"Beaujolias?!!!", you say? "Isn't that the black cherry Jell-o tasting stuff that's like grape juice?!" Well, in some cases, yes. Particularly on the Nouveau end of things. But Cru Beaujolais from the major villages can be as interesting as many wines from Burgundy and often more refreshing. And likely more drinkable in their youth, but with a potential to show earthy complexity over the following ten years or so. Of course, the stigma attached is hard to overcome for most. Even George Riedel at his recent seminar in Los Angeles quoted the Duke of Burgundy as saying "Take this crap south!", in reference to the Gamay grape Beaujolais is made from. But I know you're more open-minded than that...
2009 is being touted as the best vintage in Beaujolais in decades. Perhaps the best ever? Though it seems we hear that about some region every year these days. In my estimation, it's definitely an arguable level of quality, as it was in the Rhone in 2007. In much the same way, the wines are riper and more generous than usual, making them perhaps a little less typical. In my tastings so far, I would agree that these wines are darker, denser and more "real" wines than many that I have experienced. Fuller-bodied, due to commonly experienced higher alcohol levels, and richer mouth-feel are not uncommon.
So, back to the bottle I'm reminiscing about in particular: the Thibault Liger-Belair 'Les Roucheaux' Moulin-a-Vent 2009. Dark and rich on the nose with blackberry, black raspberry and black plum, fresh tobacco, almost a feeling of smokiness, and elegantly perfumed florality in spades. Much more austere than expected on the palate, showing structure and crisp acidity. This is wildly perplexing because it's austere, but also fresh and generously fruity at the same time! Only 375 cases made with a retail price of about $25/bottle. Kara, who blind-tasted this as usual, placed it as a really good Dolcetto (mostly because she liked it so much, therefore it must be Italian). Not a bad call.
This is the first vintage from Thibault Liger-Belair who recently acquired this property with vines of, on average, sixty years of age. Pretty impressive start: property in the Moulin-a-Vent, arguably the best appelation in Beaujolais, and from the 2009 vintage. These wines are probably a little on the higher side of the price spectrum for Beaujolais, making the value a little less pronounced, but the delivery is well worth the few extra bucks. Unfortunately, there is a miniscule amount of his three bottlings. If you spot them, they're well worth your time and dollars.
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