EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: COTE DE BROUILLY

Nicole Chanrion, Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes, Côte de Brouilly 2009 is made from 100% Gamay grapes, has an alcohol content of 13% and retails for $19. 

Kermit Lynch imports this wine to the US, and he tells a rather compelling story about the winemaker on his website. 

“When Nicole Chanrion began her career in the 1970s, convention relegated women to the enology labs and kept them out of the cellar - even her mother thought winemaking was man’s work - but she would not be deterred from her dream of becoming a vigneronne.  With six generations of family tradition preceding her, she grew up helping her father in both the vineyards and the cellar in the Côte-de-Brouilly, one of the southernmost crus of the northern Beaujolais. 

"Ever since taking over the family domaine in 1988, she works all 6.5 hectares entirely by herself, from pruning the vineyards and driving the tractors to winemaking and bottling, all without bravado or fanfare. 

"In 2000 she became president of the Côte-de-Brouilly appellation, a position of respect and importance among peers. It’s small wonder then that she is affectionately referred to as 'La Patronne de la Côte,' or the Boss of la Côte."

The Côte-de-Brouilly appellation is a small part of the larger Brouilly Cru.  Lynch describes the Côte-de-Brouilly appellation as sitting "on the hillsides of Mont Brouilly, a prehistoric volcano that left blue schist stones and volcanic rock along its slopes. These stones yield structured wines with pronounced minerality and great aging potential."

According to Lynch, the traditional methods of the Beaujolais are employed by Chanrion -hand harvesting, whole cluster fermentation, aging the wines in large oak foudres for at least nine months, and bottling unfiltered.  "The resulting wines," says Lynch, "are powerful, with loads of pure fruit character and floral aromas.”

An intriguing fruity nose shows blackberry and currant.  There's dark fruit on the palate too, joined by some really nice oak spices, like clove, anise and some vanilla.  There's a very nice acidity and a healthy dose of minerals, too.  The tannins are noticeable but not too strong.  The wine is quite dry and has a lengthy finish that is more than welcome to stay awhile. 

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CANTINE VALPANE BARBERA DEL MONFERRATO SUPERIORE 2001

Kermit Lynch  is one of those people referred to as a "tastemaker." His knowledge of wine is legendary - at least - and it's widely known that when he finds a wine he likes enough to import to the US, it's worth drinking.  I've seen many wine articles begin with the words, "I don't know anything about this wine, but it's got Kermit Lynch's name on it so I thought I'd give it a try."

To find Cantine Valpane , Mr. Lynch traveled to Italy's Monferrato region.  There the limestone and clay in the soil is said to help produce some very fine Barbera.  This wine gets a boost from the addition of up to 15% Freisa.  These grapes heighten the wine's fruity aspect. 

The wine spends about a year-and-a-half in French oak barrels and is then transferred to stainless steel vats in which it rests before bottling.  The bottle claims an alcohol content of 14.5% abv, and I believe it's at least that.

It's a dark ruby color, but not inky.  There is a powerful nose, heavy with currants, anise and lots of alcohol.  This Barbera required well over an hour of breathing the first night. The second night it was good to go on pouring. 

The taste is quite brambly, with enough leather to make a fine saddle.  There's a spicy characteristic and an almost-hidden hint of raspberry.  It strikes me as a very tough-tasting wine.  It's not a wine you'll drink without ruminating on, that's for sure.

After the bottle was open for three days - we dined out a lot that week - it took on that wonderful scent that is a cross between an old baseball glove and a plant.  Maybe an old baseball glove growing on a cornstalk. Listen carefully and you'll hear, "If you open it, they will drink."