Helped by the sun, the melancholic visit of this beautiful Beaujolais goes on between wines cellar and perched villages. Second part of this journey in “gamayland…”

Before to “morgonner” in the Morgon’s cellar, that “chardonne” ! Yes, before to move on to the different types of Morgon, I wanted to taste again the white wine. After the painful experience of the Beaujeu’s cellar, I couldn’t stay on that feeling…Then, it’s not a Gaul who makes this one, but Jacky Passot in Beaujolais-Villages. The floral nose of rose and violet reassures me and the fruity and round mouth go up again in my esteem. Admittedly, it’s still unbalanced with bitterness, but you can drink it…While if you want to prolong the painful experience, I advise you the Beaujolais-Villages rosé of the domaine des Gaudets in 2011: more than the tooth which falle, your body tumbles ! Then, we get a grip on ourself, we get back on our feet and tasting of the Morgon’s red vintages…

Now, we can “morgonner” ! This tasting word brands the olfactory and gustatory aromas, specific to this terroir. 6 climates are well known on this Morgon’s terroir (picture below), and each of them exhaled a particular aroma. Then, the “Association des Producteurs du Cru de Morgon”, who manages the wine-cellar, chooses a Morgon of each kind of climate, emboding the best of it typicity. These 6 climates are prettily represented by ladies in the cellar…the selection becomes more interesting !

A Morgon Corcelette 2011 of Gravallon-Lathuillière opens the ball…but closed it immediately. It misses of the roundness, the fruits aren’t really presents and the tannin a little bit agressive. Not to drink immediately…as the Morgon Les Charmes 2010 of Bernard Passot. We find again a clear nose opening on the rapsberry (typical of this climate), but in the mouth, it’s not yet the best but the potential is here ! To sit on…whereas the Morgon Côte du Py 2010 of Fabien Desvignes: a delicacy ! We find all that make the reputation of this climate: intense “kirsched” nose, which finds again to the palate with a peppery note, evertyhing well structured ! This one can be drink now or later, it’s not a problem…I forgot quickly the last Morgon of Château de Fontcrème, which isn’t from one climate but a representative wine of all Morgon vintage. For me, there isn’t a characteristic…

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to stretch your taste buds after all these wines, the Beaujolais doesn’t miss of peaceful, calm, and lovely places. The quietness and the panorama of the Mont Brouilly’s chapel will captivate you, while the famous golden stones of the perched medieval village of Oingt, will transport you in a unaffected place by the passing of the time ! And to bury yourself in the Beaujolais’ legend, way to Clochemerle…

Why the legend ? Because the village of Vaulx-en-Beaujolais inspired the famous Gabriel Chevallier’s novel, entitled Clochemerle. Appeared in 1934, it was adapted to the cinema, the television and traduced in 26 languages ! Caricatures of the french society of that time (military, rich, farmer, civil servant, …), everything turns around a proposal of…”pissotière” (that you could use in the village). Many burlesque situations and mainly quarrels village are consecutive, and will be resolve thanks to the “farmer common sens” and the Beaujolais’ wine ! By the way, today, in that area, to call a quarrel of neighbourhood, people says a quarrel of Clochemerle ! You could admire the fresco representing all the characters of the novel, in the center of the village…

There ! Open greatly your hears because the address that I am going to give you will be quickly known ! If you want to end on a high note, go to the “Ferme du Rolland”, at Carmelo and Martine’s home. Lived near Jullié, to the Petite Sibérie Pass, you will be pamper in this spectacular, rustic and charming farm ! All you eat there comes from…there ! From the starter to the dessert, including beef, pig and obviously wine, are produced by the family. A PLEASURE ! All in biodynamie, the wine Cuvée d’Ange 2010 is clear, honest and without fault: a mix of black fruits, rapsberry and cherry, everything well balanced ! If you look for an authentic atmosphere and well-being, rush there quickly before everybody !

For sure, 2 days are too short, of course I would like to stay more with , I would like to continue to taste the wine in tiny wine-growing houses, to talk about my childhood with local people,…but…there is not but, I don’t find a good reason not to come back in this beautiful Beaujolais…

THE ESSENTIAL: In the Beaujolais, there are 2 AOC, Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages, and 10 “crus”: Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Chénas, Moulin-à-vent, Juliénas, Morgon, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Régnié and Saint-Amour. The almost exclusive cepage is gamay for the red wine, whereas for the white is chardonnay (only 3% of the production). As for the Beaujolais Nouveau, it’s not an AOC but all the wines from Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages sold before the 30th of november ! Unfortunately today, most of people know the Beaujolais only by this mediocre wine…