It’s a Beaujolais day, hooray!
I’ve already enjoyed my annual allocation of Beaujolais Nouveau (that’s one bottle each November, per spousal diktat.) But happily, no such limits apply to the Beaujolais crus. So when I spy a Fleurie sitting unassumingly on the bartop, that is what we will be having with dinner.
Today’s wine comes from the ancient Poncié vineyard of Fleurie. Here, old free-standing bush vines grow in the pink granite soil, creating elegant but concentrated Gamay wines.
The Château de Corcelles pours up deep ruby with a purple tint. At first sniff, it’s very meaty–beef, iron, and mushroom overpowering the expected florals. At first I think it’s possible that my bottle has a fault, but I taste from another open bottle and it’s undeniably the same wine.
In truth, I’m all right with a little Beaujolais funk. But it takes some convincing to get my dining companion to accept it as a feature. Fortunately, the wine opens up nicely. After a few minutes in the glass, the meaty notes subside, revealing aromas of crushed red cherry and blackberry. The flowers eventually show up to the party, too: Pretty violet and its plainer cousin, the garden pansy.
In the mouth, it’s very ripe and round with flavors of cherry, black plum, and blackberry. Medium body and acidity with a gentle (almost too gentle) texture. Despite the earthiness on the nose, it finishes clean, with lingering minerality and a smooth orchid perfume.
This single-plot Beaujolais is packed with dark fruit, showing the effects of a very warm vintage. Traditional oak aging in demi-muids (600-liter barrels) for 12 months softens the wine even further. It’s a great pick for drinkers who like dark fruit flavors without the tannic edge.
We enjoyed our Château de Corcelles with a long early dinner at the North Dallas seafood bar Even Coast. The meal reminded me of another reason that I love Beaujolais wines: Their versatility in partnering with all kinds of dishes.
Ordering by the bottle means you sometimes have to say “forget it” to matching your wine with multiple courses. But this Fleurie bridged the gap between chilled oysters, grilled vegetables, and spicy steak with grace and flexibility.
Bottle: Château de Corcelles Fleurie Poncié Beaujolais (2023)
Variety: Gamay (100%)
ABV: 13%
Suggested retail: $27
My rating: 8.1 (out of 10)
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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