A couple of summers back I spent a week in Beaujolais as a guest of the Georges Duboeuf Winery. It was an educational, delicious, inspiring and eye opening week for me. Most memorably I had the honor of tasting through a large swath of then current releases along side Georges Duboeuf himself, at his his home no less. To taste alongside such an Icon of a the wine industry was even more incredible than you’re probably imagining. On top of everything else Georges was as gracious as could be.
It felt like time to catch up with the current doings at Duboeuf. So I reached out to Romain Teyteau who heads up North American Exports for the Duboeuf Winery which is still very much a Family Business. We discussed a number of topics, diving into some Beaujolais basics, the age-worthiness of well made Gamay and of course reflecting on the passing of Georges Duboeuf early this year, as well as some other topics. We also tasted a trio of current releases. You can watch the entire thing below.
Georges Duboeuf 2018 Pouilly-Fuissé ($40)
If you want to know what Chardonnay really tastes like this example from Mâconnais is always a safe bet. It leads with orchard fruit aromas. Flavors of Golden delicious Apple and Anjou pear are evident along with hints of pecan. Tart green apple and a drove of minerals drive the long acid-rich finish. The above average texture and mouth-feel take this over the top.
Georges Duboeuf 2018 Beaujolais-Villages ($14)
If you’re looking for an extremely versatile wine to pair with an extremely wide array of foods and an incredible price the Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages will do the trick. From the first whiff to the last sip red berry fruit characteristics tinged by bits of black fruit abound. Bits of spice are evident too. It’s gorgeous, fruity and impeccably balanced. It’s so delicious right now, but it has the structure to drink well for 5-7 years at least.
Domaine des Rosiers 2018 (Moulin-A-Vent) ($28)
When I visited Beaujolais in 2018 this was one of the producers that poured us some wines with age on them, showing us the aging ability of balanced Gamay. It’s no surprise then that this 2018 will have a long life ahead of it. It starts with a vociferously aromatic nose whose characteristics are a bit lighter than the flavors. Red violets and spice lead the way. The palate is studded with dark fruits. Mission fig, continued spices and toasty oak all emerge on the long finish. Delicious now, this wine is a relative baby. I would give it 5 or 6 years until it reaches a peak drinking window that will last for quite some time.