Extended
tasting note 10
Jean Foillard Morgon ‘Côte du Py’ 2004 Beaujolais, France
Beaujolais
is a non-serious wine, right? Gamay is an inferior grape? Well taste
this, and change your mind. Yes, most Beaujolais is uninspiring, but
this is an exception. It also challenges preconceptions about whether
there’s anything to the ‘natural wine’ movement, because this is
a wine that is unfined, unfiltered and, more significantly, has no
added sulphur dioxide (the almost universally used wine preservative),
and it is fantastic. It shouldn't be, but it's better than almost all,
if not all, the more manipulatively produced wines I've tried from
this region.
Let’s
begin with the presentation, which is spot on. It has a beautiful wax
capsule (right), which is a real pain to remove (requires
careful chipping away with a knife), but looks great. The label is
elegant and stylish – noting fancy, but nicely done. The bottle
looks good.
On
pouring, I was surprised by how dark this wine was. It’s a red/black
colour. Not dense and impenetrable, but quite dark. The nose is
wonderful. It shows a wonderful sweet, pure fruit character (cherries
and blackberries) with a haunting complexity. Initially the fruit is
supplemented by spice and some earthy notes; later I’m getting a bit
of dark chocolate and herbs. On the palate, there’s a wonderful
transparency. Sweet fruit is complemented by a smooth, silky tannic
structure ad some spice. It’s not heavy; it’s not rich. Instead,
it is elegant, soft, smooth and pure. I’m finding myself reaching
for descriptors such as elegant and expressive - words you'd associate
more with Chambolle-Musigny than Beaujolais.
The
soft texture is the best thing about this wine, and it makes you want
to drink. It has no heaviness, it isn’t making an effort, it has
nothing to prove. After a while longer, herb and tea elements begin to
emerge. Then the bottle is empty, leaving me longing for more. It has
teased my palate and left me wanting another glass. It is
fantastically drinkable.
Foillard
is into natural wine: he’s a disciple of Jules Chauvet. He adds
nothing, not even sulphur dioxide, which almost everyone has to add to
protect their wines. These old Gamay vines from the iron-rich
schistous soils of the Côte du Puy are expressing themselves clearly
here, or should we say they are allowing the terroir to speak. Yes, I
suspect many people will drink this wine and miss the point; it
doesn’t shout. But I love it. I rated it 93/100 for what it is
worth.
In
the UK it is available for £12.75 from H & H Bancroft.
For
a little more information on Foillard, I recommend Andrew Jefford’s
article here.
Other
ETNs:
Grünhaus;
Roc des Anges; Gaillard;
Veratina; Arturo;
Wynns; Drystone;
Foundry and Columella; Meruge;
Foillard Morgon; Clonakilla
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