2016 Jean Foillard, Gamay, Beaujolais-Villages, France.
Foillard is one of the great wineries of France, famed for their Morgon Cru Beaujolais along with a single parcel Fleurie, these are absolutely amazing wines that transcends their varietal, in the this case Gamay of course, and shows pure terroir. Jean Foillard’s wines are widely treasured and admired for their beauty and complexity, all show graceful texture and perfume along with a heightened sense of mineralite, all of his wines are from organic grapes and with no added SO2 during their vinification. The new addition to his imported lineup is his basic Beaujolais-Villages, he had done a Nouveau, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but this 2016 is a bit more serious and is a quality entry offering from this elite domaine, it was crafted with old school traditional methods with Foillard fermenting whole cluster in cement, with this 2016 lasting about 15 days and then it was raised in concrete tank for 7 months, bottled unfined and unfiltered. The Beaujolais-Villages comes from parcels located in Villié-Morgon, Lancié, Saint-Amour, and St-Etienne-La-Varenne with a vine age between 20-55 years old set on granite with severe hand selection of the grapes to assure the clearest and best flavors, and this 2016 shows that attention to detail, while still having a slightly rustic charm to go along with the bright fruit. Sweet floral and contrasting savory/earthy tones lead the way with a medium palate awaiting you showing pure Gamay dark berries, plum, kirsch, currant and tangy strawberry fruits as well as a hint of crushed stones, anise, tart peach/apple skin and light herb/spice notes. This wine is vibrant and fresh, it’s Foillard’s quaffer, but with air it proves more complex than expected adding a deeper impression to this garnet/ruby hued wine, it’s a great teaser to Foillard’s Cru wines.
($24 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive
