The 2015 vintage has been the gift that keeps on giving, but as I’ve noted previously, there have been instances when the gift was perhaps a little extravagant. Take Cru Beaujolais, for example: As great as so many 2015s are, there are others so inky and extracted it’s difficult to identify them as Gamay from Beaujolais. 
In fact, I think 2015 in Beaujolais illustrates two things very clearly: (1) the “biggest” vintage of a wine may grab the gaudiest scores, but that doesn’t make it the “best”; and (2) making broad generalizations about a vintage, good or bad, never really serves one well. The big takeaway from my tasting of Laurent Martray’s 2015 Brouilly “Corentin” was how perfumed and elegant it is—not something you hear a lot in conjunction with the “powerful” 2015 crop. Martray has become a well-respected grower in Brouilly, farming some of the oldest vines anywhere in Beaujolais, and I can’t help but wonder whether those old vines played a moderating role in the ripening of the fruit in 2015. Rather than overripe, this wine is perfectly ripe, with tremendous balancing freshness; it feels substantial and serious, but not “heavy.” That, in my book, is the Holy Grail of Cru Beaujolais. I can think of few wine regions lately that have risen in stature quite like Beaujolais, and for good reason—these wines deliver at a very high level for a very low price. If you have not enjoyed great Cru Beaujolais lately, this is your chance to see why there is such hype around these wines. It is priced to purchase by the case and drink often!
And as I mentioned above, “depth” is not necessarily a synonym for “weight.” Martray ages Corentin in a mix of large, used foudre and used ‘Burgundy’ barrels (i.e. barriques), allowing that old-vine fruit character to shine without excess adornment. In the glass, the 2015 is a deep, nearly opaque ruby with pink and magenta highlights at the rim, and while it is indeed substantial the key word here is balance. High-toned aromas of brambly black raspberry, cranberry, black cherry, violet, wildflowers, white pepper, underbrush, and a savory iodine kick carry over to a medium-plus-bodied palate marked by freshness and a delicate but firm kiss of tannin. I find myself turning again and again to Cru Beaujolais because of its energy, its relative lightness on its feet, and its deep and satisfying melding of sweet fruit and savory earth. There’s just so much wine here for less than $30 it’s impossible to pass up! Yes, it should age nicely over the next 5+ years, but why wait: Decant it about 30 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees, and in addition to putting it on your Thanksgiving short list, try it with the attached recipe as a weeknight warmup. This wine has “House Red” written all over it!