The Oldest Papal Vineyard in France. And it’s not where I thought.

The Oldest Papal Vineyard in France

And it’s not where I thought.

The oldest papal vineyard in France is not where I thought*. Not in Châteauneuf but near Malaucene in the Vaucluse département of Provence, about 40 minutes to the north-east of the former papal city of Avignon. 

Pope Clement V was elected pope in 1305 and his coronation was in Lyons, not in Rome. In 1309, he moved the papal throne to Avignon (on the Rhone) and also planted this vineyard in the Abbey of Le Barroux under the stern gaze of Mont Ventoux, not too far from the famous Dentelles, in an area where you’ll also find the more famous vines of Beaumes de Venise.

The entire vineyard is, as you might expect, mountainous in nature. Lots of hard work on the slopes including the vintage by hand. On their estate, the monks and nuns have raised their cultivation methods to high levels. “More than a motto, Garde et Service (custody and service) of nature are the two main lines of our conscientious cultural approach, in order to make it possible for our vineyards, for Provençal agriculture and the the heart of men to bear their fruit in due course - today and tomorrow.”

And, thanks to the presence of Gabriel Teissier, Directeur du Developpment at Via Caritatis, at last week’s Liberty Wines Portfolio tasting in Dublin, I got a brief history and also got to taste three of the wines: the Vox Domini Blanc, the Vox Caritas Rouge and the Lux in Domino Rouge.

Gabriel Teissier at Liberty Wines Tasting

The Vox Blanc is a blend of Clairette (90%) with Roussanne and Grenache blanc. They have two Clairette plots, one 40 years old, the other just 11 and it is from this second that the outstanding freshness comes. Soft pressing in the winery is followed by a slow fermentation, and the wine is “then rested on lees for six months, giving a lovely texture to the finished wine.” Very impressive, with excellent acidity as well.

The Grenache (90%) led Vox Rouge is expressive with ripe raspberry and blackberry fruit. On the palate, the wine is ample, powerful and well balanced. Again you’ll note the acidity. The flavours are concentrated and layered with notes of spice and liquorice which linger on the finish.

The grapes were hand harvested and subject to a rigorous sorting process upon arrival at the winery. Fermentation took place in concrete vats which are also used for the Lux rouge below. After malolactic fermentation, the wine rested in concrete tanks for nine months before bottling. Another impressive wine.

The outstanding Lux Rouge comes in a deep red. The nose boasts aromas of ripe black fruits  and a touch of liquorice from the oak hint at excellence to come. And it comes. On the palate, the wine has a rich mouth feel, with silky and opulent tannins, powerful but well-balanced with bright acidity. 

This is one to lay down as the concentration of flavours as well as the excellent structure of the Lux Rouge, along with the “thousand and one skills of the art of wine making” will see it age and develop over the next ten years. Fermentation takes place in concrete tanks and then the wine is aged for 18 months, 80% in concrete tanks and 20% in 500L new oak barrels before blending and bottling.

The day I got to the top of Ventoux! But it was warm and sunny down below.

The history of wine in Europe is deeply connected with monastic life. In 2015, united by a wish to revive their region’s winemaking history and support local winemakers, the monks of the Abbey Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux and the local cooperative, Beaumont de Ventoux, joined forces to create a range of wines from their combined 30 hectares of vineyards. The quality of the grapes and the impressive community partnership attracted the attention of illustrious Rhône oenologist Philippe Cambie, who has since become consultant winemaker for Via Caritatis.

The Dentelles. Sunny here, having come down from foggy Ventoux earlier

The men and women of Via Caritatis (the way of charity) are determined that their terroir will produce beautiful wines for hundreds of years to come. Lots of stirring stiff in their brochure but I’ll leave you with just one line by Max Philipe Delavouët. 

“.. We just need to plant trees, in turn: one day they will bear plenty of fruit for those hands already raised in the mists of time…. Let us go, we will never be rich enough, we who are passing, like those who are coming, to let anything be lost.” Garde et Service!

Read all about the excellent Liberty Wine Portfolio Tasting here

* The first pontifical vineyard  was exactly settled in the place-name "Groseau" (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chapelle_Notre-Dame-du-Groseau) which used to be a benedictine monastery at the time of Pope Clement V and was given by the monks to the pope. This place-name is located on the land of the municipality of Malaucène, neighboring Le Barroux village. When the benedictine monks resettled in the region, they built their new monastery on the municipality land of Le Barroux. Nowadays the place-name of Chapelle du Groseau is in the heart of Via Caritatis vineyard which spreads on the tree municipality of Le Barroux, Malaucène and Beaumont-du-Ventoux. 

Five star Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Cazes family vineyard.

J.M. Cazes Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape (AOC) 2016, 15%, €43.95* O’Briens Wine

The castle ruin, with the Rhone in the distance.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is in the Vaucluse department in Provence. It is a commune and its castle, now a ruin, has dominated the view of the village since it was built by Pope John Paul XX11 (one of the Avignon popes) in the 14th century. Its wines came to prominence at this time, outlasted the reign of the French popes, and it is now the most famous of the crus of the southern Rhone.

The Cazes family, owners of the famous Château Lynch-Bages in Pauillac, moved into Châteauneuf country in 2006. Not just any vineyard; they went straight to the heart of the region and purchased the Domaine des Sénéchaux, one of the oldest of the local vineyards and about an 8 minute walk from the castle ruins. The parcels that produce this superb red wine are south and south-west facing and composed of quartzite pebbles.

This blend, rounded and unctuous, is made with 60% Grenache Noir, 22% Syrah,17% Mourvèdre, 1% others. A dark and inviting garnet robe. A complex bouquet, cherries and berries, balsamic hints and a touch of spice. Smooth, fruity and spicy on the generous palate. The harmonious finish, with subtle hints of the oak, is elegant and long. The Southern Rhone at its very best, this is Very Highly Recommended. I reckon it would have pleased General de Gaulle, one of Chateauneuf’s admirers.

Entrance to the papal palace in Avignon. Chateauneuf was, by some accounts, a summer residence

This complex red is great with “an infinite number of dishes and most cheeses”, according to my well-worn Côtes du Rhone handbook. It also draws attention to the bottle itself: “The very bottle speaks for itself, the glass being embossed with the Papal Arms of the City of Avignon, and the entwined key of Saint Peter! In short, the keys to paradise!”

JM Cazes report that the 2016 vintage went well from start to finish and even that pesky Mistral wind was a help and “did a good job of drying the grapes… well ripened and in impeccable sanitary condition”. The estate also produces fleshy, aromatic whites that reflect the rich characters of the terroir. 

The famous "pebbles" whose importance seems to be taking a downgrade in the latest World Atlas of Wine.
They say the heat retention properties of the galets "is not the boon it once was".

That Mistral, a regular feature here (Mont Ventoux means the windy mountain), was particularly nasty in 1956, blowing for three weeks with wind speeds reaching over 100kph and causing the temperature to drop as low as minus 15 degrees. The majority of the Rhone region’s olive trees suffered serious frost damage but the vines resisted so well that many olive farmers turned to vine cultivation.

* This is an excellent wine indeed and the price is high. But there was quite a large deduction (14 euro) during the O'Briens Fine Wine Sale before Christmas.

Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc is hard to beat. Loire and Marlborough getting closer?

Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc is hard to beat
Loire and Marlborough getting closer?

The Loire

When it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, there are two main "religions" and many splinter groups. In the main, there is a "battle" between those who believe in wines made in the Loire area (the source) and those converts to the more intense Marlborough gospel. But the grape grows well in many places and SBs from Australia, Chile, and California, and more, will have their disciplines. And though you'll find excellent examples in all areas, I must admit I'm almost always more comfortable with a bottle from the Loire.

Here, there is even a split, as Sancerre is perhaps the best-known. Below, we have two from Pouilly Fumé which is generally more or less of similar standard as Sancerre (across the river). Indeed, the World Atlas of Wine declares: “It would be a brave taster who maintained he or she could always tell a Pouilly Fumé from a Sancerre. The best of each are on the same level; the Sancerre perhaps slightly fuller and more obvious, the Pouilly Fumé more perfumed.”

Perhaps though there is a middle ground emerging between the Loire and Marlborough. Just like the world in general, the wine world is changing, quite often because of the exchange of knowledge and know-how between different regions and you will read that the gap between the Loire and Marlborough is narrowing. Wines from both areas were brought together in a London tasting in 2019. Jamie Goode and Rebecca Gibb MW made the case for the regions. In blind tastings, several MWs and leading wine experts mistook New Zealand Sauvignons for Loire wines and vice versa.

Victoria Kukla told DRN: “New Zealand and the Loire are always pitted against each other when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc. People have preconceptions about both regions, but Sauvignon Blanc has evolved so much and there’s so much talent working in New Zealand and going over to the Loire, and vice versa and we just felt that with this tasting we wanted to challenge all the preconceptions that people had.” Read more here. Henri Bourgeois below are involved in wine-making in both France and New Zealand.

Henri Bourgeois La Porte de l' Abbaye Pouilly-Fumé 2018, 13%, €25.95 O’Briens Wine.

For 10 generations, the label declares, the Bourgeois family have been producing handcrafted wines that “reflect our terroirs, our traditions, our passions”. Food pairings suggested for this Sauvignon Blanc are: fish, white meat, goat cheese or a simple scallops tartare with lime. Best served 10-12 degrees. Other suggestions I’ve seen are Turbot with spinach and feta cheese, or a Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese with toasted sesame seeds.

O’Brien’s are very strong on this one: “Henri Bourgeois is one of the Loire's most celebrated premium producers. This Sauvignon Blanc has been a real revelation. This unoaked white wine has an electric balance between fresh mouth-watering fruit and a benchmark mineral character characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc grown on a great terroir. Absolutely delicious.” And, having giving it a good run, I agree.

Colour is light straw with green tints. Pear and citrus combine in the calm scents, nothing like the pungent Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs. Quite a minerally tingle on the palate, lime and pear in the mouthwatering flavour, fresh and lively and the finish is persistent and dry. Matured on its lees for five months, it has an excellent mouthfeel. Concentrated and elegant, this is Very Highly Recommended.

Gitton Père & Fils Clos Joanne D’Orion Pouilly Fumé (AOC) 2017, 13%, Karwig 13.95 in 2019 closing-down sale

This Sauvignon Blanc shows as a lovely bright gold in the glass. More herbaceous than fruity in the aromas (which are nowhere near as pungent as you’d find in the Marlborough version). Fresh and fruity on the palate. Crisp and acidic, and dry of course, and the cirtrus-y finish is long and satisfying. Suggested pairings are white fish, seafood, and goats cheese. Highly Recommended.

Pouilly Fumé is one the signature wines of the Loire area. The fumé is French for 'smoky'. According to Wine-Searcher, it denotes the struck gunflint aroma that characterises the local Sauvignon Blanc wines. This distinctive smell is often referred to as pierre à fusil, which means 'flint' (literally 'rifle stone'). It is a key point of differentiation for Pouilly-Fumé's winemakers, and a source of great local pride.” Can’t say I got any convincing trace of it in the scent here!

A Couple of Grand Wines from Bordeaux. Pomerol and Lussac-Saint-Emilion.

A Couple of Grand Wines from Bordeaux.

Pomerol and Lussac-Saint-Emilion
plus news from Supervalu and Tindal

I got some excellent views over the Saint-Emilion vineyards from the top of the
 Bell Tower of the Monolithic Church 

Château Franc Maillet Pomerol (AOC) 2015, 14.5%, €48.00, O’Briens Wine

This beautiful Château Franc-Maillet Pomerol red wine is a blend of Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Franc (20%) and 2015 is regarded as a very good year in the area. Try with game stew, a rib of beef, mushroom dishes or middle-aged cheese.

It is a deep ruby, a little lighter at the rim, legs slow to clear.  Aromas are opulent, and complex, cherries and blueberries, vanilla too. Smooth and with a great depth of fruit, some spice too and the tannins have quite a grip, a strong character overall, fresh and forthright all the way through to the sumptuous and lingering finish. Would be nice to try this again in four or five years time!

This family-owned estate are noted for consistently producing a classic expression of the Pomerol terroir and this is no exception. Very Highly Recommended.

The Pomerol vineyard, with Saint-Emilion to the east, is barely ten minutes away from Lussac but those nine kilometres mean that the price is more than doubled! Why? The World Atlas of Wine: “What grows here is the gentlest, richest, and most instantly appealing of red Bordeaux.” Much of this has to do with the terroir and the producers and the Pomerol wines are always expensive. 

Don’t despair though. Lalande-de-Pomerol is just to the north and produces excellent wines. Just read there that the Wine Buff (with shops in Ireland and one in Saint-Emilion in Rue de Marché) sells La Faurie Maison Neuve at just over 30 euro. Note to myself: should be worth a try!

* Watch out also for offers. I got my Pomerol for €42.00 in O'Briens Wine Fine Wine Sale in December.

Château des Landes Lussac “Vieilles Vignes” Lussac-Saint-Emilion (AOC) 2014, 13%, €19.35

 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This “Vieilles Vignes” is a blend of old vines Merlot (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%),  and Cabernet Franc planted on limestone and clay soils in Lussac. Lussac (where Merlot is the dominant variety by far) is the most northerly of the St Emilion satellites. 

The other three satellites of St Emilion are Montagne, Puisseguin and St Georges. 

“At their best, the wines from these areas are every bit as good as a Saint-Emilion grand cru,”  wrote Clive Coates in 2004.The four satellites are allowed append the coveted Saint-Emilion to the village name.

Colour of the 2014 is a deep dark ruby. Dark (plummy) aromas, quite intense, drift of spice. Rich and harmonious on the palate, mid to full bodied, flavours of lighter (red) fruit, vanilla, fresh acidity, rounded tannin, and a lingering finish. It may well be from one of the satellites (not always highly regarded), but this is well-made, well-balanced, and well worth seeking out. Very Highly Recommended.

Château des Landes is family owned with three generations of experience, located right in the heart of the appellation, 50 km northeast of Bordeaux. “Only a small quantity is produced, vinified and then aged for 16 months in French oak barrels. The resulting precious wine is consistently rated highly at all competitions. Serve at 18°C as a meditation wine, or pair with roast game, vegetable dishes with creamy sauces or aged cheese and nuts.”  

A very small of amount of sediment noted. So you may wish to decant. While removing sediment is the usual reason for decanting (old wines in particular), you’d do well to decant young wines, even those under screw cap. Indeed, the current edition of the World Atlas of Wine declares “.. experience shows that it is usually young wines that benefit most”.  

When decanting young ones, give them plenty of air (by using a container that maximises aeration). That will really wake them up and you’ll have a better experience. Even a few minutes of aeration makes a huge difference in the aroma and flavour of a wine. When your decanter, fancy or plain, is not in use, be sure to cover the opening with a cover (eg muslin) to keep the dust out. And don’t ever use soap to wash it out.

For the current Supervalu offers (including a tempting Gigondas wine of the month) and a Barolo opportunity from Tindal, please click here.

Two French Whites To Consider

Château du Coing de Saint Fiacre L’Ancestrale Cru Communal Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2010, 12%, €16.65 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Colour is more intense than your usual Muscadet,  brighter also. Aromas are fruity and complex. Had been a little worried about the age here but no need. This is quite superb, rich and yet crisp and, as Le Caveau hints, could go head to head with a great Chablis or a Grand Cru Riesling. A delicious discovery for me with a superb finish, a touch of minerality on the lips.

The ageing, which includes 42 months on lees, has no doubt had the desired result in this gorgeous apricot and melon flavoured perfectly balanced wine. One to be sipped and enjoyed and Very Highly Recommended.

There are a number of extra hurdles to be jumped before this wine is granted the final label, including one 60 days before bottling. The bottles received a certification number and each bottle is numbered.  As far as I can see from the label, my numbers are 13 and 13408. 

Because of its planned maturity, this is now much more than the companion of just seafood and shellfish. The makers suggest it pairs perfectly "with a gastronomic food as sea or river fish but also white meats as chicken and some cheeses. A tasting appetizer is also very nice, the wine is served chilled to 12 °C.”

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Beaujolais Blanc (AOC) Chardonnay 2017, 13.5%, €23.00 Mary Pawle  

Spanking clean light gold colour. Aromas are somewhat complex with citrus prominent. It is pleasingly smooth on the palate, rounded fruit and dry to the finish. Perfect, they say, with seafood or a cream chicken.

The fruit is from young vines from the Pizay area, grown on soils composed mainly of clays. Drink now; or consider keeping as it has the potential of keeping for 3 to 5 years.

Given the Beaujolais bias toward Gamay, it is not surprising that Beaujolais Blanc is little-known. Just two per cent of the crop is Chardonnay and indeed, much of the Chardonnay grown here in northern Beaujolais, where the Macon overlaps Burgundy, are sold under the better-known Macon appellation.

If you like Maconnais, as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald did (A Moveable Feast), then you’ll have no problem with this. Highly Recommended.

A Sterling Trio From Europe. Red Wines to Enjoy.

Chateau Mayne-Vieil Fronsac (AOC) 2015, 14%, 
€19.35 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Fronsac doesn’t immediately spring to mind when you think of Bordeaux but this is a Grand Vin de Bordeaux.

Colour is a dark ruby. Rich aromas, mainly ripe plums, touch of spice, vanilla. Palate is supple and deep, packed with rich flavours, spice and oak again, a juicy acidity and smooth tannins bring it all to a long finish. Quite a bit of character to this one, drinking well now and Very Highly Recommended. Pair it with red meat, game, and cheeses.

Tried the chateau’s website but backed off when I got a warning about bad bugs. From what I can gather, the blend is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, though some years it may be all Merlot.

Fronsac red wines are based on Merlot, produced in an area in the east of the Bordeaux wine region. It is located close to the northern bank of the Dordogne river, just a few miles to the west of Libourne – the town that gives its name to the Libournais region. Saint-Émilion and Pomerol lie to the east of the town. And Fronsac (this bottle included) offers an affordable alternative to its better known neighbours.

Antica Enotria Puglia (IGT) 2017, 12.5%,  

€14.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

Suddenly, you realize that you can't keep exploiting, poisoning and pushing because whatever you do to the land, you do to yourself. The same fate. And you then you begin to respect. Respect for yourself and your land, for time and for life.

These are the words of winemaker Raffaele di Tuccio, echoing the experience of Spanish winemaker Miguel Torres: The more we care about the earth, the better our wine. Raffaele’s family winery Antica Enotria is in Puglia and is part of the Italian Organic Wine Route.

This red (rosso) blend is mainly Nero di Troia with the better known Sangiovese and Montepulciano. Colour is a mid ruby. Reasonably intense aromas show red fruit and floral notes. Very refreshing for a red from this hot region, no shortage of acidity, good fruit (dark berries) too and a little spice, almost smooth tannins. Lively and light with a soft texture, yet with a strong character, this Highly Recommended wine also finishes well.

Alfredo Maestro Viña Almate Vino de la Terra de Castilla y Leon 2018, 14.5%
€15.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Importers Le Caveau trumpet this as: ““A stellar addition to our portfolio.” 

It is 100% Tempranillo from 2018 and, in Spain, young wines such as this are generally called joven.  It has spent four months in neutral French oak, is unfined, unfiltered, and with very low S02. A great one to pair with grilled and roasted meats. No big amount of sediment here but decanting often helps a young wine express itself better.

This Very Highly Recommended dark red wine has rather intense aromas of dark plums and cherries. On the generous palate it has an engaging liveliness not to mention strong fresh flavours and a touch of spice enhances the engaging experience right through to the lengthy finish where you’ll notice the tannins drying your lips.  Another well-made wine from the man "known as the 'magician of the Duero’, a prominent exponent of the natural wine movement in Spain.

The Tempranillo grapes for this wine are grown in Peñafiel in Ribera del Duero but, according to Spanish Wine Lover, it has always been sold as VT Castilla y León. This is Alfredo’s flagship wine and Spanish Wine Lover rates it “as outstanding within its type and style”.

If strong winds are forecast, this is the wine that you need!

If strong winds are forecast, this is the wine that you need!

Breton Avis de Vin Fort Bourgueil (AOC) 2017, 12.5%, €21.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Immediately north east of the confluence of the two rivers (Loire & its tributary Vienne) you come to Bourgueil and appellations named after that town and its close neighbour St Nicolas de Bourgueil. Wine is so important here that there is a huge wine bottle outside the church in St Nicolas and a large bunch of grapes is a centrepoint on at least one roundabout. The reds here and in Chinon, across the Loire to the south, are often excellent. As the World Atlas of Wine declares: "For its quality, it is absurdly undervalued".

Cabernet Franc is the red grape in these parts and this is a slightly unusual example, made in the style of a Clairet (indicated on the label), a cross between a rosé and a red. 

Colour though is dark enough, mid to dark ruby. Aromas are of fresh red fruit. It is undeniably fresh and light on the palate, easy-drinking and something of a thirst quencher. Barely a trace of tannin, just enough to dry the lips a bit - and a pleasant finish to boot. This vin de soif is Highly Recommended for that picnic or a sneaky glass at lunch before returning to the daily grind. 

A husband-and-wife operation in the Loire Valley, Catherine and Pierre Breton, based in the commune of Restigné, have recently celebrated their 30th vintage and have built their reputation on making pure Cabernet Francs from Bourgueil and neighbouring Chinon using biodynamic viticulture and vinification.

The vineyards see ultra-intense organic care, no mean feat in this northerly clime though by no means unique either; they avoid chemical fertilisers and weed killers, restrict yields and harvest by hand. The Bretons use indigenous yeasts and their desire for “natural” winemaking comes through strong in their resistance to the use of sulphites, with typically just 10 mg/l added at bottling to many cuvées, although some are bottled without any sulphites at all. And they are bottled unfiltered. This one is raised in Grenier wood barrels until spring, bottled in April with minimal sulphur. There was a little bit of sediment in this bottle, nothing to worry about but you may prefer to decant.

The wine’s name is a reference to the maritime warning “Avis de Vent Fort” (meaning strong winds are in the forecast), and is a play on words to evoke the idea that if the weather is bad, one should sail back to shore and have a glass of wine instead.

Oh What A Wonderful Morgon At La Bonne Tonne

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne

The "Androgynous" Wines of Beaujolais.

Robert Joseph, whose French Wine was a bible for many of us, wrote in the 1999 edition: “There is something deliciously androgynous about Beaujolais that somehow sets it between red and white, with the colour of the former and the easy drinkability of the latter. The region’s unique ménage à trois of the Gamay grape (a variety that never performs as well elsewhere), granite soil, and the macération carbonique process,…. combines to produce wines with vibrant fruit and almost no perceptible tannin.”

Think he’d have been well pleased with Domaine de la Bonne Tonne, who farm a small area of Beaujolais. The Grillet family have been winemakers for 7 generations in Morgon and their vines are of an average age of 65 years. 1.10 ha is grown in Beaujolais appellation including 50 ares in Gamay and 60 ares in Chardonnay. The wines of the area possess a lot of finesse and a wonderfully expressive fruit.

Here is how the Grillets sum it up: “This is the challenge we have embarked on. To come to live off our profession by producing a small quantity of grapes for a great quality of wine and to make finally express itself this soil so rich which does not require less. The 'black gamay with white juice', the only grape variety authorized for red wines in Beaujolais, can thus translate all its complexity of aromas.”

Did you know that the Gamay grape is an exile? In 1395, it was outlawed by Royal decree as being “a very bad and disloyal plant”. Sixty years later another edict was issued against it. And so it was pushed out of Burgundy and south into neighbouring Beaujolais where it has thrived on the granite based soils. Wonder what those royals, Philippe the Bold and Philippe the Good, would make of these beautiful authentic wines from Bonne Tonne.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC)  “Grands-Cras” 2017, 14%, €25.75 Mary Pawle  

Colour is mid-ruby with the tears reluctant to disappear. Inviting aromas of freshly crushed strawberry and blackberry, floral notes also. All lead to an expected big kiss of concentrated sensation on the palate. A perfectly harmonious experience though, thanks to the acidity and those silky tannins. Loveable all the way to a very satisfactory finish indeed. Very Highly Recommended.

Wine Enthusiast gave this 93 points saying: “The Grillet family's organically grown wine shows delicious, pure flavors of jammy blackberries cut with acidity. It comes from old vines in one of Morgon's cru vineyards, giving both concentration and a mineral structure.”  

Grands Cras is one of the three climats in which the the Grillet family operate in Morgon, the others being Cote de Py and Charmes. Les Grands Cras is at the foothills of Cote de Py.  Charmes is a granite area in the west part of the cru Morgon.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Les Charmes” 2017, 14%, €27.00

Again mid-ruby is the colour. Rich jammy aromas of dark berries. And again we get those pure and delicious flavours of the fruit, plus the usual fresh acidity, smooth and velvety all the way to the excellent finish, a harmonious trip from initial attack to the finalé. 

Made from 100% Gamay grapes from vines with an average age of 65 years, it is vinified naturally with natural yeast and no added sulphur in the wine making. This wine, like all the Bonne Tonne bottles, is made with authenticity and aplomb, and little else. No herbicides, no pesticides here. No filtration and a minimal dose of SO2 is added to the bottling to avoid any degradation of the wine during transport.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Cote du Py” 2015, 14%, €28.75 Mary Pawle  

Colour: Mid ruby, tears slow to go. Intense and rich and inviting dark berry aromas, fresh and complex. And that all follows through to the immediately loveable palate, rich and rounded, seamless harmony all the way through to a long intense finish. Very Highly Recommended.

The Morgon "Côte du Py", is the most famous climate of the vineyard. There are ten crus in the Beaujolais region and Morgon, as you probably know, is one of them. With the typical acidity, these wines can match a range of foods. One suggestion that I fancy is Moroccan Lamb Tagine with apricot.

World famous for its exceptional soil resulting from ancient volcanic activity, the soil of the Py hill is composed of decomposing volcanic elements, with the presence of iron oxide and manganese. The blue rock is friable, and so the locals have been known to claim that the best Morgon are made on this land of  terre pourrie (rotten rock)! 

And more good news from Mary Pawle...

Mary Pawle will soon have this gem (due by end of the month); she already has the Energies on her list. I'll be ordering! The review above is from November's Decanter.