When he’s not drinking Italian wine, SommSelect Editorial Director David Lynch is likely to be found midway through a bottle of this terrific Cru Beaujolais from Béatrice Despres.
As I look back over my first full year at SommSelect, I can say without hesitation that this Fleurie was one of my top 10 favorites in 2017. I grabbed a bunch of the 2013 vintage of Domaine de la Madrière’s “Madone” for personal consumption, and I’ve been waiting anxiously for the 2014 to arrive given the vintage’s superior reputation. Well, the ’14 has finally landed (they hold back their wines), and I’m happy to report it does not disappoint: This is a Cru Beaujolais of impeccable breed and pulsating energy—memorable not just for its purity and impact but for its astounding value. With an extra layer of concentration in the ’14 version lending it even more appeal, I for one will be stocking up. My assessment of this wine is straightforward—it is a complex and thought-provoking wine to drink, at once refreshing and surprisingly long-lasting, even profound, on the finish. It also happens to be one of the more ‘Burgundian’ takes on Cru Beaujolais around, at a price you’d be hard-pressed to find if it were made from Pinot Noir. This is a wine I always want more of, and if you have not yet understood why everyone is drinking Cru Beaujolais, this is a great place to start.
“La Madone” is the name of a southeast-facing vineyard site in Fleurie topped by a landmark 19th-century statue of The Madonna. This is considered one of the finest parcels in Fleurie. Fourth-generation vintner Béatrice Despres farms about 10 acres here, and in addition to her own wines, her Domaine de la Madrière is also a fruit source for wines made by her husband, Stéphane Aviron (in a joint venture with Burgundy négociant Nicolas Potel). The most noteworthy feature of La Madone is its steep pitch (40%), which requires that all work be done manually. Béatrice’s vineyards, planted between 1950 and 1970 and farmed organically, are rooted in thin, sandy topsoil over the classic pink granite of Fleurie.
Although Aviron assists her in the cellar, this is Béatrice’s show. Her wines skew toward the ‘red’-fruited side of Gamay, with raspberry/cherry perfumes reminiscent of Pinot Noir, and this owes at least in part to her winemaking choices. As has become more common in Beaujolais, Despres doesn’t employ the classic technique of carbonic maceration (wherein whole grapes are fermented in a closed container filled with CO2, which tends to create a plumper, purpler, rounder style). While she does use whole grape clusters—as opposed to de-stemmed fruit—her fermentations are done in open-topped vats using only ambient yeasts, after which the wines are aged 6 to 12 months in mostly large oak foudre. In veering from the traditional ‘carbonic’ path, Despres and other like-minded producers are often characterized as being more ‘Burgundian’ in their approach, which in one respect doesn’t make sense since Beaujolais is part of Burgundy; but in treating their Gamay much like someone in, say, Gevrey-Chambertin might treat their Pinot Noir, these vintners are broadening the spectrum of Gamay’s “varietal” character. Sometimes, as in “Madone,” it gets awfully close to Pinot Noir.
The 2014 vintage of “Madone” builds on the success of the excellent 2013, tacking on some extra muscle without losing its characteristic finesse and focus. In the glass it’s a deep ruby-red that extends to the rim. The nose is a lively amalgam of black and red cherry, wild berries, pomegranate, red currants, forest floor, damp herbs and crushed stones. On the palate, its dense fruit and minerality take center stage, the well-concentrated fruit melding with deep savory notes. That seamless push-pull of sweet fruit and savory earth driven notes is always a selling point for me, and the wine’s pleasing structure and lengthy finish are both spot-on. It is ready to drink now with about 30 minutes in a decanter: Serve it in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees next to your preferred roast chicken preparation (today I went for the high-heat Barbara Kafka take). But do consider taking 6-12 bottles (or more) for periodic re-visits over the next 3-5 years. It will definitely improve, and impress, for years to come. Cheers!
— David Lynch
