Hello, long lost reader(s) (in case there are more than one of you). I have been chiding myself for once again neglecting the blog for so long, which I guess has finally paid off in that I was quite motivated upon arriving at home this evening to open some wine and write about it. I happened to choose this bottle without even thinking about the fact that it is a great opportunity to briefly mention the 2009 vintage of Beaujolais. It seems that 2009 is being universally heralded, by professional critics and savvy consumers, as a great vintage for Beaujolais, probably the best in a very long time. The wines I have tried so far have displayed greater depth, concentration, and tannin (not in a bad way at all) than most of the Beaujolais I am used to. I am seeing a tendency towards greater ripeness levels and greater extraction. Once thing that has really surprised me is how much I like this wine, which I tried recently at a tasting of, surprise, surprise, 2009 Cru Beaujolais. (please see the previous entry on Foillard's Morgon if you'd like a description of that term) I was surprised when this wine was unveiled because I have been rather underwhelmed by the Duboeuf crus that I've tasted in past vintages. This wine performed extremely well in its group at the recent tasting. So much so that I rushed out and bought 4 bottles, for the staggering sum of $15 apiece. If you want some Beaujolais from this vintage to lay down in your cellar for some years, I would highly recommend Marcel Lapierre 2009 Morgon. If you want something to enjoy now and over the next couple of years (during which time I suspect this wine will improve, if not even for 3-5 years), I can enthusiastically suggest this one. Here's a tasting note:
2009 Georges Duboeuf La Trinquee Julienas- distributed by Pine State, around $15 retail
The first thing I notice is a relatively dark color for the Gamay grape. It's still ruby, but pretty dark without being opaque. The nose is very pretty. It is quite floral and the fruit is quite pronounced, showing red and black cherry along with strawberry. There's also an earthiness, like fresh, clean soil, a bit of spice, and a slight green stemmy character that's helping to provide great balance for all of that fruit. I will note that greenness is often a negative element for me, but this wine smells in no way underripe. It's as if I'm smelling wild strawberries which are still on the plant, so I can get a faint whiff of the green parts of the plant in a good, natural way. The palate is more of the same. The dark cherries really show their stuff here, with the red fruit taking back stage at first, which is not what I usually expect from cru Beaujolais, but it is what I've come to expect from some of the wines from this vintage. The red fruit becomes more prevalent as the flavor progresses. There's plenty of concentration of flavor here to balance the tannins, which are significant yet superfine in texture. There's a tea component from the midpalate on that I really enjoy. The wine is so delicious that I've just practically chugged about half a glass while looking for further descriptors. All of the elements from the nose are present on the palate in varying degrees, and everything goes great together. There's really no awkwardness or imbalance in this wine. The fruit is a little candied on the nose, and there is a slight grapey component to the palate; I know these are part of what some people don't like about Beaujolais. But believe me, these characteristics are mild, so much so that I really think this wine is practically universally appealing. In fact, it's outstanding. 90 points from me, and I suspect that in another year or two this will be in an even better place than it is now. Do yourself a favor and go try a bottle. For that matter, try a bunch of '09 crus. Your palate will thank you, and so will your wallet as most are under $30 (many under $20) for wines that can be surprisingly good for those prices. I'll leave you with this thought: the Lapierre Morgon is even better than this wine. Try that, too. Thanks for reading. Please leave comments if you have anything to say.
