This might sound a wee crazy, but this Beaujolais I had over the weekend tasted like chocolate-covered cherries. Seriously. I sent my boyfriend to the wine shop for a light-to-medium bodied red and he came back with a Beaujolais-Villages from 2009. 2009?! Beaujolais?! That’s right, kids. 2009. It be an oldie for the gamay grape.
The wine shop proprietor who recommended the wine did warn that it’s “a little riper” than what’s typical for the varietal. Uh, yes. I gasped when I poured the first glass because it was purple, a Shiraz-y purple. And it smelled like vanilla, cinnamon, dark chocolate, dried fruit. My boyfriend got blackberries. These are not things I typically associate with Beaujolais.
I also placed this wine decidedly in the medium-bodied category, and it had some strong legs too. It had texture and a bit of weight on the palate rather then the cranberry juiciness of lighter reds. From a Beaujolais lover to all you Beaujolais-haters out there: this one is for you. It’s got the oomph of a Shiraz with a food-friendly acidity without the intense tannins.
Wine: Domaine Cheveau OR Rouge
Grape: Gamay
Appellation: Beaujolais-Villages AOC
Region: Beaujolais, France
Year: 2009
Alcohol: 13%
Cost: $18
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