Fleurie

Bernard Métrat remains as modest as ever, but his wines go from strength to strength. The 2018 Roilette has a complex bouquet of violets, red and black berry fruit, cola and a hint of black pepper which, Bernard points out, is characteristic of the eponymous vineyard. The 2018 vintage’s warm, dry summer has imbued this wine with exceptionally supple tannins, but it doesn’t lack for freshness – the 60-year-old vines here have roots deep enough to access water even in a drought. Try it with crispy duck pancakes (but go easy on the plum sauce). Drink now to 2023. 
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)

Chiroubles is the highest in altitude and perhaps most picturesque of the Beaujolais crus. Altitude – and the cool nights it engenders – is key in warm vintages such as 2018, and particularly for this wine, which hails from a sun-kissed south-facing slope, formerly known as Côte-Rôtie. The southerly aspect delivers ripe red-fruit aromas, with hints of cola and spice (a hallmark of this wine, Bernard notes), counterbalanced by refreshing acidity and an appetising cherry-stone minerality to the finish. Try it with tartare or carpaccio of beef or (more likely in my house) cold roast beef sandwiches. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (October 2019)

Julien’s Fleurie is, in our minds, his finest wine. Raised in old oak barrels from a very famous address in Chambolle-Musigny, this is a classic Fleurie; seductive, perfumed and ethereal. Julien’s winemaking style – using minimal sulphur and intervening as little as possible – ensures that this is a wine which constantly evolves in the glass, morphing from red fruit to black, from brambles to irises and rose petals. A truly complex wine which is rich yet refreshing.

Julien’s Fleurie is his signature cuvée – and is one of our favourite wines from all Beaujolais. It’s made from grapes grown in two organic-certified parcels on steep slopes in the lieux-dits of La Tonne and Grand Prés. Ageing takes place in oak barrels that are around 10 years old. The resulting wine is intensely aromatic, with an ever-changing bouquet including summer pudding and violets. While the nose becomes more expressive with time in the glass, the palate seems to become more precise: there’s a cool, mineral thread beneath this wine’s voluptuous exterior. Served lightly chilled, it’s a fabulous accompaniment to cold or barbecued meats. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)

The Clos Vernay is a monopole of the domaine, surrounded by trees and next to Moulin-à-Vent on granite and quartz soils. This parcel did not suffer hail damage so 25 percent whole-bunch was used and the wine was raised in a 3,000-litre foudre. Initially very fruity with plenty of charm, a surprisingly serious minerality arrives in the mid-palate and extends the finish. Serious, age-worthy wine. Drink 2021-2027.

Michel Lafarge (b. 1928) and his son Frédéric make use of their combined experience to produce some of the greatest wines in Volnay. There is nothing modern in their winemaking, though the meticulous care of their biodynamically farmed vineyards puts the domaine at the forefront of viticultural practices. When they are working on a patch of vines they are usually accompanied by their hens who eat up any lurking pests. The grapes are de-stemmed, vinified traditionally and very little new oak is used in the cellar. In 2014, they purchased vineyards in the Beaujolais which are farmed using the same biodynamic practices as employed in the Côte de Beaune.

Frédéric was keen to highlight the solidarity shown between vignerons at the end of April, as they mobilised to put in place measures to prevent a repeat of the frosts of 2016. Burning dampened straw bales at strategic locations, they succeeded in creating cloud cover which saved the vast majority of the vineyards. He also stressed the importance of “fractional harvesting” – waiting until each parcel is fully ripe before picking – and feels that the domaine’s biodynamic practices allow the grapes to achieve even ripening and balance, a real boon in early vintages such as 2017. For those with long memories, 90-year-old Michel compares 2017 to 1947 and 1964.

Thanks to the hail, this is a blend of three lieux-dits – Bel Air, Cercillon and Joie du Palais – which were harvested at a minuscule 8hl/ha. The fruit was all de-stemmed and raised in 350-litre barrels (because there wasn’t enough to go into a foudre). The result is unsurprisingly concentrated with lots of red fruit, plenty of weight and a finish of granitic tannins. Drink 2020-2025.

Michel Lafarge (b. 1928) and his son Frédéric make use of their combined experience to produce some of the greatest wines in Volnay. There is nothing modern in their winemaking, though the meticulous care of their biodynamically farmed vineyards puts the domaine at the forefront of viticultural practices. When they are working on a patch of vines they are usually accompanied by their hens who eat up any lurking pests. The grapes are de-stemmed, vinified traditionally and very little new oak is used in the cellar. In 2014, they purchased vineyards in the Beaujolais which are farmed using the same biodynamic practices as employed in the Côte de Beaune.

Frédéric was keen to highlight the solidarity shown between vignerons at the end of April, as they mobilised to put in place measures to prevent a repeat of the frosts of 2016. Burning dampened straw bales at strategic locations, they succeeded in creating cloud cover which saved the vast majority of the vineyards. He also stressed the importance of “fractional harvesting” – waiting until each parcel is fully ripe before picking – and feels that the domaine’s biodynamic practices allow the grapes to achieve even ripening and balance, a real boon in early vintages such as 2017. For those with long memories, 90-year-old Michel compares 2017 to 1947 and 1964.

This exceptionally steep vineyard, with half of it on a 40% slope, has to be ploughed by horse. A quarter of the grapes were manually de-stemmed. The bouquet is dramatic, intensely perfumed and with pure notes of blackcurrant coulis. No wine at all was made in 2017. Drink 2021-2027.

Last year this cuvée had to be blended with other lieux-dits after the ruinous hail, but is back in its own right this year. Biodynamic from 2018, this still only gave 15hl/ha. The wine has 20% whole-bunch and was aged in 350-litre barrels. It has plenty of Beaujolais sapidity, but with dimension. Nicely done. Drink 2021-2026.