Domaine Boulet et Fils, Beaujolais, France
Domaine BOULET & Fils is located in Juliénas, on the magnificent hillsides that have made its reputation. Coming from a family of winegrowers from father to son for four generations, Nadège and David Boulet have been cultivating 12 hectares since 1993.
The estate is made up of vines around fifty years old, which they cultivate, vinify and market with their own hands.
"The elegance and richness of our Juliénas are born from its terroir and our know-how over several generations."
“The 10 crus of Beaujolais are in the north of the region where the granite soils boarder on the southern reaches of Burgundy. All are made entirely from the purple-hued Gamay grape.
To generalize, these red wines are moderately structured, but always with a backbone and edge of tannins to hold together all the delicious cherry fruitiness that is associated with the variety. From there, the differences between the crus are numerous and the various expressions of Gamay are worth the discovery.
Starting with the lightest of the crus—Régnié and Brouilly—these make wines that bring out tons of fruit and freshness. The more familiar is of the two might be Brouilly as it’s the larger region of the two and can be more commonly found in the U.S. market.
In terms of structure, these appellations are followed by Chiroubles and Saint-Amour. Chiroubles boasts the vineyards in elevation of the 10 crus. It produces wines that are ultrafresh and feather-light in tannins. As these wines mature, they quickly acquire a velvety texture. Saint-Amour, the closest to Burgundy, is a cru that brings incredible depth to Gamay’s bright cherry fruit.
Continuing up the weight scale are Chénas and Côte de Brouilly. Chénas is a long, thin appellation, surrounding hills and forests, and makes wines that balance great fruitiness with a firm framing of by tannins. Côte de Brouilly, on the slopes of Mount Brouilly, an extinct volcano, is small but packed with some fine, serious producers.
Juliénas and Fleurie continue up the scale in terms of weight and concentration. Juliénas is where Beaujolais cherry flavors really come into their own. Bold flavors and generous tannins underly this fruit, so that we have wines with structure and ageability. Fleurie is home to many top producers who benefit from great slopes and rich, concentrated wines.
By general consensus, at the top of the weight scale are Moulin-à-Vent and Morgon. There is no village in Moulin-à-Vent, just a windmill and vines. This appellation produces the most elegant, long-lived wines in Beaujolais, aided by some impressive producers. Many regard Moulin-à-Vent as the king, but for my money Morgon is the emperor. Again, the concentration of fine producers and some great vineyards (Côte du Py is a major source of fine wines) gives us some of the wines of Beaujolais that can last almost as long as many fine red Burgundy.” - Wine Enthusiast
Domaine Boulet et Fils - Beaujolais, Julienas 2020
Grape variety: Gamay
Color: RedTerroir: Clay-limestone soil; South-East exposure
Age of the vine: 55 years
Cultivation: Exploitation in sustainable cultivation, the pruning which is in goblet is done by hand, as well as the harvest of the grapesVINIFICATION
Carbonic vinification typical of Beaujolais with 10 to 12 day vatting to extract the maximum of materials Temperature control for quality winesMATURING
Made either in tuns or in enamel vats. Bottled generally between April or MayTASTING
Eye: Ruby red color
Nose: A very open bouquet of complex red fruits
Palate: A good structure in the mouth and well-melted tannins for a balanced and round wineSERVICE
Keep: 5-6 years
Food and wine pairing: Goes well with red meats, coq au vin and a cheese platterDomaine Boulet et Fils - Beaujolais, Chenas 2020
Chénas is the smallest appellation in Beaujolais in terms of surface area. It is named after the ancient oak forests formerly covering the commune, cleared by the Gallo-Romans then by the local monks by order of Philip V of France, known as ‘The Tall’. The vines stretch across rolling hills and valleys. These gamay grapes express notes of small black fruit, peony and spices highlighted by mellow tannins. Chénas wines are among the heaviest (organoleptically) in Beaujolais, and are known for their floral, earthy characters and ageability. Chénas, along with Moulin-à-Vent, is one of the most highly-regarded Beaujolais cru wines, and the best examples can be cellared for up to ten years.
Location
The vineyards of Chénas can be found on the slopes of Mont Remont, sandwiched between the borders of Juliénas and Moulin-à-Vent. The 290 hectares (700 acres) of vineyards in Chénas itself are split between the Rhône and Saône-et-Loire departments.
Confusingly, due to changes in the appellation borders over time, the commune of Chénas is also located within the Moulin-a-Vent viticultural area. As a result, vineyards located within the Chénas commune can also be used in either Moulin-a-Vent or Chénas.
History
An official decree from King Philippe V in the early 14th Century saw the oak forests on the slopes of Mont Remont replaced with vines, and viticulture has been practiced in the area surrounding Chénas since. These early vineyards were developed by rich Lyonnais in the 15th Century, and were purportedly the favorite of King Louis VIII in the 18th Century.
In modern days, Chénas has the smallest area planted to vine, and as such has the smallest viticultural output of all of the Beaujolais crus.
Domaine Boulet et Fils - Beaujolais, Saint-Amour 2020
Medium deep garnet colour. Pure nose, fine ripeness, plum and wild berries with ginger, clove and some floral hints. Very good grip on the palate, supple and elegant with finely grained tannin a crisp acidity, sweet fruit flavours yet remaining dry and elgant with a long finish.
Saint-Amour is the most northerly of the ten Beaujolais cru areas, located just to the south of the Maconnais appellations of Pouilly-Fuisse and Saint-Veran. Saint-Amour wines are among the lightest of the Beaujolais crus, often displaying spiced berry and stone-fruit characters with a marked minerality.
Just under 320 hectares (800 acres) are planted to the Gamay grape variety on the south- and east-facing hillsides on the western banks of the Saone River, making up the viticultural area of the Saint-Amour appellation.
While most of the ten Beaujolais cru areas were established in the 1930s, Saint-Amour was not officially delimited as a cru until February 1946. Today, it is one of the smallest Beaujolais appellations, larger only than Chenas.
The topography here in the northern part of Beaujolais is hillier than in the south. Clay loam soils made up mainly of schist and granite are complemented by smaller amounts of limestone. These lightly textured soils are often credited with contributing to the minerality that marks the wines of Saint-Amour.
The hills to the west of Beaujolais shelter the vineyards of Saint-Amour from heavy weather systems from the north, instead giving rise to a dry, warm wind that helps to keep moisture out of the vineyards, reducing the risk of mildew.
The angle and elevation of the vineyards maximize sunshine exposure, ensuring grapes have ample sunlight during the ripening period. The harvest in this part of Beaujolais often comes earlier than the flatter vineyard areas in the south of the Beaujolais region.
The Saint-Amour appellation takes its title from the Saint-Amour-Bellevue commune, itself named for a Roman soldier who escaped death by converting to Christianity. Legend has it that he established a monastery in the area, and was later canonized as Saint Amateur (amateur meaning 'lover' in French). Sales of Saint-Amour wine therefore tend to soar around St. Valentine's Day in February with 20 to 25 percent occurring in February.
A large quantity of white wine is also made from Saint-Amour's vineyards, mostly from Chardonnay and Aligote grapes, although under appellation laws they must be labeled under the more generic Beaujolais Blanc designation, or under the Saint-Veran appellation that overlaps slightly with Saint-Amour.