2018 Beaujolais
Fresher in style than the 2015s and rounder than the 2017s, the 2018 vintage in Beaujolais produced some excellent wines that are drinking well straight out of the gate.
Showing 1-25 out of 25 items
Hide All Tasting Notes
Alexandre Burgaud,
Ready, but will keep,
Made from the fruit of Alex’s oldest vines on the kind of thin, rocky soils to which Gamay responds best, this is a touch more concentrated and complex than his excellent Beaujolais-Villages. Expect black as well as ripe red berry fruit on the nose, while there’s a refreshing herbaceous character to the palate –a hallmark of the vintage – which demands another sip. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will keep,
Grown in the climat of Douby, which borders Fleurie, this combines Fleurie’s fresh, floral charm with the structure one expects from a Morgon (particularly from this fabled producer). The 2018 is particularly successful, with generous ripe red-fruit flavours wrapped around a cooling mineral core – a calling card of old-vine Gamay on granite slopes. Like all the Desvignes’s wines, La Voûte is made by semi-carbonic maceration in concrete vats, but the maceration is shorter than for the more extracted, long-lived Javernières or Les Impénitents. Drink it lightly chilled with anything porky or – a slightly less predictable pairing – chilli con carne. Drink now to 2022.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (October 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (October 2019)
Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will improve,
Less concentrated than the Montpelain, but more outgoing, this is a bright, juicy Morgon for early to medium-term drinking. It hails from a sandy, southeast-facing parcel at over 450 metres’ altitude, where the grapes retain plenty of acidity even in warmer vintages like 2018. It’s initially characterised by ripe red berry aromas and supple, easy-going tannins, but linger over the glass and subtle notes of blackcurrant leaf and grilled meat begin to emerge. Great with bangers and mash, it’s epic with saucisse lyonnaise cooked in the wine itself. Drink now to 2024.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will improve,
Montpelain hails from the eponymous vineyard, whose distinctive soil – rich in manganese – explains the difference between this wine and the equally excellent Corcelette. Both wines are made the same way, namely semi-carbonic maceration in open-top concrete vats, prior to six months’ ageing also in concrete. Montpelain, however, has a darker fruit profile, with aromas of dried flowers and an engaging herbaceous character to the finish. It’s a sure-fire hit with charcuterie, but also a useful match for meatier fish dishes such as poached halibut. Drink now to 2026.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Chateau Thivin,
Ready, but will keep,
This complex, dramatic wine is a blend of fruit from seven separate parcels around the Côte de Brouilly. It is vinified in concrete, then aged for seven months in large oak vats (some over a century old). There are hints of black pepper and liquorice on the nose, while the palate is characterised by grippy tannins, cool red fruit flavours and fresh acidity, all of which speak of the vertiginous slopes; thin, sandy soils and blue granite emblematic of the appellation. Drink now to 2024.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Domaine Julien Sunier,
Ready, but will keep,
The third vintage of Wild Soul is the first to be made exclusively from grapes grown in Lantignié, a commune renowned for its concentrated, age-worthy Beaujolais-Villages. It’s marginally fuller-bodied than its predecessors, but with the same explosive aromatics, fresh acidity and sheer buvabilité. Conceived for early-drinking, Wild Soul has no S02 added, but is bottled with a higher level of CO2 than Julien’s cru wines – this protects the wine (in the absence of SO2) and contributes a very subtle, energising spritz to the attack.This pairs brilliantly with quiche Lorraine. Expect to make short shrift of a bottle. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Chateau Thivin,
Ready, but will keep,
Even in its infancy, the 2018 Griottes is exceptionally complex, with a gamut of aromas including ripe red and blue berries, cola, black pepper and liquorice. The eponymous vineyard’s southerly aspect results in a relatively ripe, concentrated wine, yet its thin, rocky blue soils – emblematic of the Côte de Brouilly – contribute a cool, mineral character to the palate. The 2018 vintage will drink well right out of the blocks, but don’t hesitate to tuck away a few bottles, to marvel at just how well it ages. Drink now to 2024.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Domaine Julien Sunier,
Ready, but will keep,
Julien’s 2018 Régnié is as expressive, open and downright fun as he is. It is blended from four well-sited parcels of old vines on sandy soils, with pockets of clay (seldom seen in neighbouring Fleurie) and frequent protrusions of pink granite. Julien chose to age 40% of the blend in concrete eggs, which have added a touch more weight and texture compared to previous editions, without detracting from the finesse and energy that are this wine’s hallmark. A versatile food wine, but I can bare happy witness to its compatibility with tomates farcies. Drink now to 2023.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Domaine Louis Claude Desvignes,
Ready, but will improve,
This is a powerful, voluptuous Morgon from clay-rich soils at the foot of the Côte du Py. For all its concentration, the 2018 is approachable now – its supple tannins and ripe fruit profile are characteristic of the warm, dry ’18 vintage. There are subtle hints of black fruit and spice here, but ripe red fruit aromas take centre stage for the time being. But this is categorically a wine that will pinote or Morgonne (come to resemble Pinot rather than Gamay) over time. Have no qualms about cellaring it for eight to 10 years. Drink now to 2028.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Domaine Julien Sunier,
Ready, but will keep,
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)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Lafarge Vial,
Ready, but will improve,
From 45-year-old vines, this sees 30% whole-bunch and is aged in 350-litre casks. This wine is available again after last year’s miniscule harvest, thankfully yielding 32hl/ha this year, which is still by no means generous. Chiroubles is one of the lighter crus. The wine is very prettily perfumed, the palate crunchy and rewarding. Drink 2021-2025.
Lafarge Vial,
Ready, but will improve,
A vineyard on blue granite, there was 30% whole-bunch this year, with the balance manually de-stemmed and aged in big 30-hectolitre foudres. This is a serious wine all round, with a deep, spicy, earthy nose in which you can really sense the cool granite that, in turn, defines the palate. A wine of soil more than fruit. Drink 2022-2030.
Lafarge Vial,
Ready, but will keep,
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.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair,
For laying down,
From the top of the hill, only 60 metres from the famous windmill, the vineyard has some young vines, but two-thirds are 90 years old. East-facing on pink sand over pink granite, it produces classic Moulin-à-Vent. Sophisticated, strict and serious, it has an inescapable sense of the place and its cool, glistening stones. Drink 2023-2035.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair,
Ready, but will improve,
This comes from seven separate parcels in a belt around the bottom of the hill of Moulin-à-Vent, where the persistent wind causes a bit of hydric stress. The vines are between 63 and 108 years old, on pink and white sand over granite and quartz. With 50% whole-bunch, this is almost overt, but the finish crackles with granitic intent. Drink 2022-2032.
Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair,
Ready, but will improve,
This vineyard’s gentle amphitheatre has attracted myriad different eroded granites – yellow from Fleurie, pink and quartz from Moulin-à-Vent and blue from Chénas. There are lots of old vines, and Thibault proudly feels this is a Chambolle-Musigny of the region. Beautifully floral and silky. Drink 2022-2032.
Louis Boillot,
Ready, but will improve,
A playful floral hit precedes aromas of pepper and wild herbs. This cuvée hails from a sandy, dry site and is invariably more mineral than the Vieilles Vignes, with a touch more freshness. There’s a generous dose of juicy black fruit on the mid-palate, but this is categorically a wine that needs time to reveal itself. Drink 2022-2028.
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will keep,
From four old-vine parcels surrounding the eponymous windmill, this is a delicious expression of Gamay whole-bunch fermented, with very gentle extraction, then raised in a large oak foudre. The result is a gorgeous red-cherry-scented wine, with crunchy fruit and fine, granitic tannins. Beautiful. Drink now to 2027.
Olivier Merlin,
Ready, but will keep,
Olivier’s La Rochelle vineyard is a 0.95-hectare parcel situated high above the moulin (windmill) at almost 300 metres’ altitude. The ancient vines give a wine of wonderful concentration, with touches of pepper, graphite and a slight leafiness. The palate has gorgeous violet floral touches and serious but juicy granite tannins. Drink 2022-2032.
Showing 1-25 out of 25 items
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)