Fleurie Les Garants

The area called Les Garants is one of the Fleurie appellation area’s most noble granitic terroirs. Very well sited (south-west facing) and harvested at full ripeness, the grapes from these vines give a concentrated cuvée. The result, in the mouth, is dense and long, foretelling of really good cellaring potential. The fruit is intense, lively and ‘sappy’. A cuvée worthy of being called “Queen of Beaujolais”!

Personality of the cuvée

This cuvée should reconcile anybody who’s ever been disappointed with Beaujolais. It shows that there are truly great terroirs within the Crus, like that of Les Garants which used, in fact, to be part of the Moulin à Vent AOC area. This is a really complete Fleurie, which combines finesse and elegance with concentration and depth. It is very enjoyable in the fruit of its youth but holds back a few surprises to unveil after a few years cellaring.

From the vine to the glass

Grape variety: Gamay 2.7 hectares of a south-west facing named area called Les Garants in Fleurie on pink granitic soil rich in mica and quartz. Integrated vinegrowing, goblet pruning, manual harvest at full ripeness Traditional Beaujolais vinification with “rack and return”, 10 to 12-day maceration in vats, no yeast seeding, no chaptalisation, minimum SO2, pneumatic pressing Maturing: 6 months in new oak tuns and 10% in new barrels.

Service

Cellaring: 3 to 10 years Peak: between 3 and 6 years
Serving temperature: 15 °C.

Matching it with food

Smoked duck breast salad, all meats, rib steak, flank steak with shallots, tournedos in reduced red wine sauce, Lyon andouillette, all poultry, Bresse chicken with morel mushrooms, roast capon with truffles, filet of venison in pepper sauce, rabbit, feathered game, pigeon, roast pheasant, ewe tomme cheese, red fruit tarts.

Tasting notes

Robe – Deep crimson robe with purple tints
Nose - Quite intense and delicate A very floral bouquet (rose, iris, violet) with spicy notes (nutmeg)
Palate - This noble Fleurie terroir, along with the south-westerly aspect gives thoroughbred tannins. The mouthfeel is full and generous, the fruit intense, lively and “sappy”. Blackcurrant, redcurrant and the North American Black raspberry or black cap are at the fore with a light touch of vanilla, long at the end.

Notes

Revue du Vin de France Millésime 2010 : 16,5/20
Robert Parker Millésime 2010 : 90/100