2009 Jean Foillard, Fleurie Cru Beaujolais, France.
The 2009 vintage in the Beaujolais is legendary and Jean Foillard is one of the top guns with Gamay, so you knew this would be good, and it seems like a extra long time to wait for such a wine, and now that it is finally here expectations were running high, and for that reason it may seem a touch disappointing no matter how good. That was the case for me, I was expecting the world, I wanted heaven in the glass, and while this is an exotic and beautifully made wine, it was a slight let down, which of course is not all that fair, but I’ll buy a few bottles and revisit this Fleurie at a later date and see. Again, there is little here to fault, though it did seem a touch hot with alcohol, though it has glorious dark fruit, a perfumed nose and terrific length. The bouquet leads with dried flowers, incense, walnut and cassis before flowing into a medium to full palate of blackberry, wild strawberry and cherry fruits with tangy dried currants, baking spices and candied red citrus. A touch of earthy truffle, saline and plum/blueberry tart linger on the aftertaste. The 2009 Foillard Fleurie is not as elegant or dreamy as the 2007, but it is a richer, denser and much more hedonistic wine that will certainly please many, many people.
($50 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
