Overall, Bouland is known for a big-boned style of Morgon, but that should not be confused with “fat.” He farms around seven hectares of vineyards, including pieces of some of Morgon’s choicest single vineyards, or lieux-dits: “Corcelette,” “Bellevue,” and “Delys,” all of which boast vines exceeding 60 years of age. Soil structures obviously differ among these three, but a common thread is the heavily granitic subsoil that characterizes much of Morgon and makes its wines some of the most structured and mineral of all the Beaujolais crus. The “Delys” lieu-dit is home to Bouland’s oldest vines, planted in silty-clay loam (“sable”) over granite.
Bouland’s production techniques are straightforward: fermentations are inoculated using only ambient yeasts, and the grape bunches are left intact (no destemming). Aging is carried out in large, used French oak casks and the wines are bottled with minimal fining and filtration.
In the glass, Bouland’s 2022 Morgon “Delys” shows an opaque, dark ruby core with purple reflections throughout. The intense aromatics are a high-powered mix of sweet and savory: ripe blackberry, black plum, and black raspberry mingle with hints of tobacco, wild flowers, lavender, anise, dried herbs, and crushed black rocks. It is mouth-coating, luscious even, but with a structured backbone and freshness I rarely find in ’15-vintage Cru Beaujolais: You can safely lay this wine down for a long slumber, with an expectation of peak drinking between 2026 - 2032. If opening a bottle tonight, which is highly recommended, a quick half-hour decant should do the trick before service in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees. And while I always hesitate to call Beaujolais ‘Burgundy-like’—because it is Burgundy—this wine easily rivals the pleasure brought by Côte de Nuits Pinot Noirs costing twice as much. There’s enough dark, savory mineral power here to put this alongside a pot of beef bourguignon, always one of our go-tos when great red Burgundy is on the table. Don’t miss this one: Bouland is it for Cru Beaujolais!
