This is a predominantly Tone & Backbone wine, but it shares structural nuances of Smooth & Silky as described in the tasting note below.
Tasting Notes
Medium-bodied, straddling Tone & Backbone and Smooth & Silky, there are aromas and flavors of bramble and red berry fruit, followed by wild herbs and herbal tea. There are notes of forest floor, pastille, and spice in the mineral-driven finish.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
TANNIN
Low
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Tannin can range greatly in wine, but it is necessary to some degree, and a necessary constituent for red wines to age well. In high amounts, it can cause a drying affect, which is sensed mostly on the gums and tongue. Tannin is a natural preservative extracted from grape skins, otherwise known as polyphenols that are micronutrients and antioxidants with potential health benefits.
ACIDITY
Soft
Subtle
Balanced
Pronounced
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
13.5%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
One of the gang of four of Beaujolais, still trailblazing.
GRAPE VARIETAL(S)
Gamay
100%Ga-MAY
Gamay is a very old Burgundian variety often overshadowed by Pinot Noir. In the past, Gamay wines were often simple light and fruity wines, but old vine Gamay, especially Cru wines in Beaujolais have the potential to make very serious age-worthy wines with complex red and dark fruit, spice, and floral components at reasonable prices, especially for the serious complexity found in these wines.
Marcel Lapierre took over the family domaine in 1973, but it was not until the early 1980s that, under the tutelage of Jules Chauvet, he embraced the notion of natural winemaking. Sadly Marcel passed away in 2010, but his son Mathieu and daughter Camille carry the torch, incorporating biodynamic practices.
Marcel was one of the so-called Gang of Four, which together included Thévenet, Breton, and Foillard. They were the early pioneers of natural and traditional winemaking, focusing on low-yielding old vines, no use of pesticides or herbicides, and nonintervention in the winery including the use of natural yeasts and aging in large-oak foudres.
Red Berries
Herbal Tea
Pastille
