Description
“This domaine is superbly successful: the wines are generously perfumed, ample and expressive of their terroirs. The vieilles vignes of La Roilette has surpassed itself but the revelation comes from the superbly successful Chiroubles: it has been a long time since we have tasted one that is this complete. Their purchase is strongly recommended.” Le Classement 2008.
“If only all Chiroubles could be as well crafted as Bernard Métrat’s!” Neal Martin, Vinous Media.
The Metrat family home and winery are to be found in the midst of the very highly regarded sector of Fleurie in Beaujolais called “La Roilette”. La Roilette lies towards the bottom of the slope close to the border of Moulin a Vent and here the soil has a base of clay underneath the decomposed pink granite that is so typical of this area. This makes for wines that have a little more depth and structure than most other Fleuries.
‘A good Fleurie is a wine of medium weight which has an ample flavour absolutely crammed full with this fruit and is overwhelmingly seductive. Some Fleuries can be delicious as early as the spring after the vintage. Others need keeping for another 6 months.’ Clive Coates MW.
The Fleuries from the Metrat family definitely fall into this latter category. The winemaking is traditional with fermentation in cement and no artificial yeasts are used, while crop levels are kept low and all the fruit handharvested. The wines show great purity of fruit with beguiling perfumes and silky textures. The extraction of tannins is gentle and although these wines are generally drunk young, they can confidently be enjoyed over 5 or 10 years. If you can manage to keep your hands off them!
“If only all Chiroubles could be as well crafted as Bernard Metrat’s!” Neal Martin
About the vintage: The 2023 vintage represents outstanding value. While 2022 is undoubtedly an excellent vintage, it was a very warm year that broadly tended to favour the best sites. In contrast the 2023 vintage, while also quite warm, benefitted from timely rain events that topped up the soil moisture levels throughout the growing season. The resulting wines show excellent concentration of flavour, but also great freshness and balance. And importantly, they show it right across the quality spectrum with the entry level wines simply a delight to drink, across the length and breadth of both Beaujolais and Burgundy.
“The 2023 vintage, overall, is highly successful—a serious year marked by ripe, rich and quite balanced grapes with no shortage of structure … The tannins in 2023 are consistently present and well-integrated, with fine, polished grains … the acidity is right where it needs to be, just ripe. A defining feature of the vintage is the equilibrium in weight; none of the wines feel overly lofty or burdensome, highlighting a harmonious balance.” Kenna Wells, The Wine Advocate, March 2025.
From vines aged more than 60 years old facing east south-east on sandy granitic soil. This vineyard is located higher on the slope than Metrat’s Fleurie holdings. Fermented in concrete tanks with indigenous yeasts.
“Bright lifted sour cherry and red fruit aromas with a touch of sous-bois and spice. Fresh medium bodied palate backed by fine silky tannins. Showing beautifully already, this cuvee always displays excellent freshness with bright balanced acidity as a result of its higher cooler vineyard site.”
RRP $42 SPECIAL Price when you buy 6 or more of this wine $31.99
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