Brouilly Croix des Rameaux Lapalu 2019

Brouilly Croix des Rameaux Lapalu, biodynamic, low sulphites, full bodied Beaujolais from 80 year old vines, deep, complex and layered red wine. From beautifully exposed prime parcels of eighty year old vines and aged in three-to-five year old barriques after a long cuvaison, this stunning Beaujolais disports a wonderfully wild nose of leather, tar and red cherry and palate-punching dark fruits: stylistically it seems to straddle Burgundy and the Rhône with both finesse and power.

Beaujolais is such a different beast to the bubble Gum flavoured Nouveau de Beaouf of the bad old days.

Beaujolais is serious wine, made from one of the best red grapes, Gamay. Cru wines are now very much in vogue and they are serious textured wines of epth and complexity which can age a long time. None more so than Lapalu, a veritable Cru among Crus from very old vines in Brouilly. Grapes are hand-picked and sorted, loaded by conveyor to avoid damage, and given neither SO2 nor cultured yeasts during the fermentation. During 8-10 days maceration a wooden grill is used to enhance extraction. The wine stays at least a half year on its fine lees gaining power and complexity. And yet the Brouillys are neither heavy nor clumsy and one could easily imagine them ageing ten to fifteen years. The old vines were old when Jean-Claude’s grandfather began farming them in 1940. Is this where the schist of Côte de Brouilly touches the signature granite of Brouilly? It seems almost to inhabit a hypothetical halfway house between Beaujolais and Priorat! Jean-Claude only uses indigenous yeasts and doesn’t use any sulphur during vinification, (there is only some added at the bottling and then only in very small quantities: 2gr/hl). These are biodynamic wines but without the some of the less desirable aromas and flavours that can sometimes inhabit bio wines, very clean and pure, full bodied and delicious Gamay.