Metrat is underrated as a Beaujolais producer. I visited him last year, and really loved the wines. This is one of his best, a Fleurie that comes from a special Lieu Dit, La Roilette. The crus of Beaujolais have a fair bit of soil variation, and there are some especially privileged sites, and now growers are beginning to put them on labels. This is an exciting move.

La Roilette cru sits on very deep black granite. Historically, Roilette used to be part of Moulin-à-Vent, which borders it to the east. In 1920, when Fleurie was demarcated, La Roilette ended up in Fleurie.
This wine comes from vines planted in the 1920s and 1930s, and it has amazing density and precision.
Domaine Metrat Fleurie La Roilette Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2015 Beaujolais
13% alcohol. This is superb. It’s dense and concentrated – hallmarks of the 2015 vintage – but it also has freshness, minerality and precision. It’s vivid with good acidity supporting the stony black cherry and blackberry fruit, with some tannic grip and lovely brightness and focus. This is a powerful, structured expression of Gamay, but it isn’t heavy or clunky. It coats the tongue with some fine-grained but grippy tannins, and there’s a hint of damson bitterness countering the sweet, intense fruit. Will likely develop well. 93/100
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- Gamay 1 – RPM Gamay Noir California
- Gamay 2 – Domaine Metrat Chiroubles ‘La Scandaleuse’
- Gamay 3 – Orofino, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
- Gamay 4 – Julien Sunier Fleurie
- Gamay 5- Radford Dale Thirst Gamay, South Africa
- Gamay 6 – Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernières ‘Les Impénitents’
- Gamay 7 – Hauts de Chasselay, Coteaux du Lyonnais
- Gamay 8 – Serol Les Originelles, Cote Roannaise
- Gamay 9 – Te Mata Gamay Noir, Hawkes Bay
- Gamay 10 – Puy de Dome, Auvergne
- Gamay 11 – Beauregard Fleurie
- Gamay 12 – Antoine Sunier Morgon 2014 and Regnie 2014
- Gamay 13 – Thibault Liger-Belair Les Roucheaux 2011
- Gamay 14 – Bow and Arrow 2014 Oregon
- Gamay 15 – Domaine de Fa Beaujolais en Besset 2014
- Gamay 16, Pearl Morissette Cuvée Mon Unique Gamay 2013
- Gamay 17, BK Wines et Le Grappin Les Deux Fous Gamay
- Gamay 18, G Spot Vin de…France, Beaujolais Villages
- Gamay 19, du Grappin Fleurie 2014
- Gamay 20, Lapierre Morgon 2014 ‘N’
- Gamay 21, Bass Phillip Gamay 2014 Gipplsand
- Gamay 22, Château de Durette Morgon ‘Hommage’ 2014
- Gamay 23, Joie Farm Gamay 2014 Okanagan, Canada
- Gamay 24, Samantha Gamay 2014 Okanagan, Canada
- Gamay 25, Julien Sunier Fleurie 2015
- Gamay 26, Jean-Paul Thevenet Morgon 2015
- Gamay 27, Lapierre Morgon 2009
- Gamay 28, Domaine Verdier-Logel Poycelan 2016
- Gamay 29, B Kosuge Wines Gamay Noir 2015 Carneros
- Gamay 30, Herve Souhaut La Souteronne 2015
- Gamay 31, Easthope Family Winegrowers Gamay Noir 2015 Hawkes’ Bay
- Gamay 32, François-Rousset-Martin J’en Suis Gaga 2015 Jura