2015 Puligny-Montrachet “Les Chalumaux”Comtesse de Chérisey
France | Burgundy
$120
Producers
A Mâcon extension of the notorious Morgon Gang of Four in spirit and in practice, Jean-Jacques Robert and his sons have recently added this super-aromatic, ethereal Beaujolais to their repertoire. They source it from one of Jules Chauvet’s old vineyards and produce it according to the principles he pioneered: treating the vineyard with respect and coaxing a genuine, unadulterated expression of Gamay. You’ll love the inviting nose of spices and its silky-smooth fruit on the palate, so bright you can almost feel it radiating from within. Beyond that, it is just utterly swallowable.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Gamay |
Appellation: | Beaujolais Villages |
Country: | France |
Region: | Beaujolais |
Producer: | Domaine Robert-Denogent |
Winemaker: | Jean-Jacques Robert |
Vineyard: | 20 years, 70 years, 1.14 ha |
Soil: | Sandy, decomposed granite |
Aging: | Aged 16 months in 7 year old barrels |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 13.3% |
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy | Viré-Clessé
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy | Mâcon-Fuissé
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy | Pouilly-Fuissé
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy | Mâcon-Solutré
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Burgundy | Pouilly-Fuissé
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais Villages
After years of the region’s reputation being co-opted by mass-produced Beaujolais Nouveau and the prevalence of industrial farming, the fortunes of vignerons from the Beaujolais have been on the rise in the past couple of decades. Much of this change is due to Jules Chauvet, a prominent Beaujolais producer who Kermit worked with in the 1980s and arguably the father of the natural wine movement, who advocated not using herbicides or pesticides in vineyards, not chaptalizing, fermenting with ambient yeasts, and vinifying without SO2. Chief among Chauvet’s followers was Marcel Lapierre and his three friends, Jean Foillard, Guy Breton, and Jean-Paul Thévenet—a group of Morgon producers who Kermit dubbed “the Gang of Four.” The espousal of Chauvet’s methods led to a dramatic change in quality of wines from Beaujolais and with that an increased interest and appreciation for the AOC crus, Villages, and regular Beaujolais bottlings.
The crus of Beaujolais are interpreted through the Gamay grape and each illuminate the variety of great terroirs available in the region. Distinguishing itself from the clay and limestone of Burgundy, Beaujolais soils are predominantly decomposed granite, with pockets of blue volcanic rock. The primary vinification method is carbonic maceration, where grapes are not crushed, but instead whole clusters are placed in a tank, thus allowing fermentation to take place inside each grape berry.
Much like the easy-going and friendly nature of many Beaujolais vignerons, the wines too have a lively and easy-drinking spirit. They are versatile at table but make particularly good matches with the local pork sausages and charcuterie. Though often considered a wine that must be drunk young, many of the top crus offer great aging potential.
Quentin Harel France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais Villages
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais | Côte de Brouilly
Quentin Harel France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais Villages
Quentin Harel France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais
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Guy Breton France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais-Villages
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais | Côte-de-Brouilly
Domaine Chignard France | Beaujolais | Fleurie
Quentin Harel France | Beaujolais | Morgon
Domaine Robert-Denogent France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais Villages
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When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174
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