Were talking Beaujolais this week, and not the Nouveau stuff thats quickly fermented to a sweet and fruity finish at fall harvest time, getting us drunk the moment it hits our shores in November. Nope, were talking serious Gamay-driven juice from the edge of Burgundy thats the quirky delight of any wine geek you may know.
The Betty to Pinot Noirs Veronica, the red Gamay grape offers a pretty elegance like its regional roommate, but is perhaps a little more bright and cheery, with a lovely complexity that rewards those paying attention.
And so, a dynamic-duo of wines for you this week. Since 1888, the Henry Fessy family of Beaujolais have been doing their thing; attaining parcels of various vineyards to make wine from each of the regions 10 crus, or appellations.
At first glance they may appear to be similar, but their differences quite literally come from their respective crus, listed front-and-centre on the label for easy navigating.
Since were looking at the same part of the world, the same grape, the same vintage and winemaking techniques, drinking a couple different Fessy wines, or those of other Beaujolais producers sided by side, are a fun study in each vineyards true character.
Next time youre getting together with a couple folks for dinner, grab a bottle of each and play around comparing and contrasting.
A few house rules with these, and all Beaujolais for that matter. Throw the wine in the fridge for 10 or 15 minutes before serving; itll provide a nice lift to the wine and keep the structure smart and tidy. Room temperature may be a tad too warm, pronouncing the alcohol and not doing it any favours.
Also, think poultry, salmon, game and veggie dishes. Just nothing too spicy or with super-intense flavours; youll lose the wines more subtle nuances.
Oh, and big glasses keep giving them a whirl to release all those wonderful aromas. Lets dig into that dirt:
Henry Fessy 2010 Chiroubles | Beaujolais, France | $30-ish | Private Stores
The Chiroubles cru sits atop higher slopes in the region with soils comprised of granite and schist. Between fresh minerality lent from the soils and its higher elevation,the region is known for lighter, perfumed fruit with a floral element and lovely finesse. A big bouquet of flowers leaps right out of the glass, but stays grounded with some darker plummy notes and even a hint of chocolate. Bright red and purple fruit stay along for the whole ride, with a light dusting of fresh pepper from start to finish.
Henry Fessy 2010 Moulin-à-Vent | Beaujolais, France | $30-ish | Private Stores
Shallow sandy soils composed of manganese-rich granite provide a key component of the terroir, and youll find Moulin-à-Vent generally offering the other end of the Beaujolais spectrum. A more masculine style with a tannic structure thats a little more bold, theres slightly richer fare to be had here. People roll their eyes when us wine guys use terms like barnyard, but when you give this a good sniff youre certainly transported to somewhere a little more, uh, rural. Stewed blueberries, blackberries and bing cherry are fully infused with a very distinct dose of both spearmint and anise, a lovely dimension that made me absolutely smitten with this one.
I most recently saw these wines at Kitsilano Wine Cellar.
As always, if youre having trouble tracking something down, find me via KurtisKolt.com or tweet me @KurtisKolt.
Cheers!
