Description
“** producteur des très grande qualité Le Classement, La Revue du Vin de France 2020″ (One of only six domaines with two stars or above in the Beaujolais)
“These were absolutely superb expressions of traditional Beaujolais: serious wines that I suspect will age as well as their more expensive counterparts further north in the Côte de Nuits. They represent outstanding value in the current market…” Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate
Bouland is a fourth-generation Morgon grower and his tiny (only 8 ha!) vineyard is now recognised as one of Beaujolais’ yardstick addresses. Surrounding the small town of Villié-Morgon, the vineyards of Morgon are divided into a seven climats: Côte de Py, Les Micouds, Javerniere, Les Grands Cras, Les Charmes, Corcelette and Douby. The majority of Daniel Bouland’s old bush vines lie within Corcelette, in the hilly Haut Morgon to the northwest of the appellation. Bouland farms a number of old-vine parcels in this terroir, where (in general) the sandy granite soils over weathered schists tend to result in wines of great perfume and finer, rounder tannins than those of the nearby Côte de Py.
Bouland portrays the artisanal Beaujolais vigneron in perhaps its purest form. He works alone in his vineyards where most of the material is gnarled, old goblet vines. His young parcels have been planted with selections massal from his older vineyards. Nothing is sweetened and nothing is taken away from the raw, visceral goodness of the juice. Hand-harvesting, very low yields, old wood, wild yeast fermentations, 100% whole bunch (open) ferments and non filtration, places him very much in the back-to-basics-dirt-under-the-fingernails camp.
About this wine: This wine is the first of three cuvées that focus on Corcelette’s sandy, granitic soils. This soil generates wines of great perfume and finer, rounder tannins than those of Morgon’s more schist-influenced terroirs. Bouland separates his so-called ‘younger’ vines in this area (60 years on average, so hardly young!) from his very oldest bush vines, which are bottled under the Vieilles Vignes label.
2022 was an outstanding vintage in Beaujolais, considering the vintage could be summarised as hot and dry the main takeaway from the year is how fresh and racy the wines are. Bouland is renowned for producing superbly balanced wines even in these warmer years. Unlike 2020, when the lack of water resulted in thick skins, little juice and deep, structured wines, 2022 was completely different. Although an August harvest once again, alcohol levels are lower than in 2020, and the fruit is more vibrant and balanced. The only clue to the nature of the year is how irresistible the wines already are. Again true to form, tasting these thrilling wines reminded me that Daniel Bouland is definitely one of France’s great growers.
Like all Bouland’s wines, this fermented as whole bunches with indigenous yeasts, with the must foot trodden at the end to prolong the fermentation. This is a superb start to a stunning set of 2022 Morgons. It’s packed with silky red fruit, wet rock and a twist of inky reduction, and has a seamless structure that is already incredibly seductive. Wonderful balance and purity, this is a simply gorgeous and impressively focused release.
RRP $64 Our Price $55.99
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