As we are definitely in the midst of red wine drinking weather, we thought it would be appropriate to pen a few words about a couple of wines that came in recently. It seems that the popularity of Pinot Noir is increasing everyday and our customers are looking to find lighter, more elegant styles of reds. Whilst we definitely condone this sort of behaviour, we wanted to propose some very worthy alternatives from Beaujolais in the southern part of Burgundy.
It is here that they champion the Gamay grape. Gamay is probably best described as somewhere between Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Not as light as Pinot and it has some Shiraz like spice without huge tannins.
The regions is probably most famous for Beaujolais Nouveau, where winemakers harvest and ferment beautiful Gamay grapes and wine enthusiasts around the world eagerly anticipate the release of this wine on the same day in November each year. It’s a vibrant and exuberant red wine that has become synonymous with celebration with its lively fruity flavors and light-bodied nature. The wines that we're about to share with you today are the furthest from that style...think bigger and bolder while still being categoriesed as a 'light red'...or Burgundy without the price tag. We got some fairly small allocations of these wines that we're calling 'Bangin Bojos'.
The wine region of Beaujolais is made up of 10 Cru’s each known for their distinct terroir and produces a range of exceptional wines, each with its own characteristics and flavours. From the elegant and floral Fleurie, to the structured and robust Moulin-à-Vent, exploring the communes of Beaujolais is a delightful journey for wine enthusiasts which we hope we inspire you to take!
Chateau Thivin Les Sept Vignes – Chateau Thivin is regarded as the best producer in the Cru of Brouilly. They are the oldest as well. Brouilly is one of Aly's favourite regions as its wines have a balance between elegance and ripeness. Les Sept Vignes is their most readily available wine. The bouquet is just beautiful, featuring vivacious red cherries, kirsch, crushed violets and iris flower. The palate is medium-bodied very poised and lightly spiced. We also were luckily enough to get a couple of their top Cuvees; Godefroy (80-100 year old vines), La Chappelle, Les Clos and Clos Bertrand. Feel free to get in touch about these rare goodies.
Daniel Bouland La Courcelette – We are now in the Cru of Morgon. Granitic soils dominate here and the wines often reflect this with firm minerality and structure. Bouland, now recognised as a benchmark for Beaujolais, produces three different wines from this region; young vines, sand (Sable) and rocky soils (Cailloux). We've managed to secure a sneakily allocation of each. These wines are much rounder and softer compared to other Morgons and provide value in the world of Cru Bojo’s. A great place to start your Gamay journey!
Chateau des Bachelards Moulin a Vent - Winemaker Alexandra Vazeilles trained at some of the great wineries; La Tour in Pauillac and Roulot in Meursault. Based in Fleurie, she makes some of the most beguiling and stunning examples of Gamay that we have ever tasted. These are not simple, carbonic macerated, bubblegum wines. They are structured, layered and complex. The Moulin a Vent is the favourite, an amazing wine that will be sure to stump many wine connoisseurs.
To celebrate these bangin' bojo's, we've created the ultimate 3-pack complete with the three wines mentioned for $195. If you are interested in checking out some of the rarer bottles, do not hesitate to ask. These are quite limited, so get in quick.
https://www.oldbridge.com.au/products/bangin-beaujolais-3-pack
