Beaujolais 2014! 2013 Ducroux Prologue, Descombes 2012s, Pignard and Vionnet 2011s!

1/7/14 -

(Vines of Christian Ducroux)

We salute the New Year, and with it the arrival of Christian Ducroux's delicious 2013 Prologue, the lovely 2012 Brouilly and Morgon from Georges Descombes, and the return of the wonderful 2011s from our new friends, Joëlle and Roland Pignard.

2013 will not go down in history as a great vintage in the Beaujolais, or any other region of France for that matter, and the Beaujolais Nouveaus that arrived in late November, our first glimpse of the vintage, were a bit disappointing. Not so with the just arrived 2013 Ducroux Vin de France Prologue! Refreshingly light at 10.5% alcohol, the wine tastes as though it was harvested under sunny skies after a cool, perfect season. This is a tribute both to Ducroux's farming as well as to his meticulous no-sulfur vinifications. Christian's vineyards are unlike almost any other in the Beaujolais, with a thick layer of grasses and flowers surrounding the vines, with fruit trees between each five rows and hedges on the sides. The soil is never deeply plowed, with only a turning-over near the vines and then two superficial scrapings ("griffage") done by horse or ox to avoid compacting the soils. Organic since the early '80s and Biodynamic for many years, Christian's farm is largely self-sufficient. His alcohol levels are always lower than other "modern" Beaujolais, in the true style of Jules Chauvet, as his vines are minimally fertilized with the farm's own compost and the grapes reach true maturity without excess sugar. This is a delicious wine of terroir with marvelous aromas and a lovely light palate, and we thank M. Ducroux for his wonderful work.

Although 2012 was a difficult, low-yielding year for the growers, we have been very impressed with many of the wines, which exhibit lovely, vibrant fruit, brisk acidity and moderate alcohol. An unofficial member of "The Gang of Four," Georges Descombes is one of our favorite Beaujolais producers, and his first two arrivals from 2012 are lovely indeed. Descombes has very old vines, especially in Brouilly; he works organically in the vineyard and vinifies naturally with only a small dose of sulfur before bottling. These are fine, natural wines, with a bit more body and alcohol than those of Ducroux - they will drink beautifully over the next five to eight years.

Last year Christian Ducroux introduced us to his good friends, Joëlle and Roland Pignard, who converted to organic farming in 2004 and are now certified Biodynamic. Their first shipment of 2010s were certainly among the most terroir expressive Beaujolais we have ever tasted, and we sold out very quickly. The 2011s that followed are bigger wines with a bit more fruit and less acidity, but equally popular for their purity, balance, and fine underlying minerality. "Life in the soil is essential; we look after it by only ploughing and tilling using horse-drawn sheers; this ensures that the soil is not as compacted, and that micro biotic life can develop there. Because the vines’ roots delve down deeper, they draw up more of the terroir’s characteristics" says Roland. We have just received another shipment and we urge you to try these delicious wines.