We love big, brooding, concentrated reds as much as anyone. But when a wine like this Fleurie from Domaine de la Madrière comes along, it’s nevertheless tempting to ask: What more do we really need from a red wine?
This one has abundant red fruit as well as a nice mineral grip. Bright acidity. Gentle, but present, tannins. Floral, perfumed aromatics. Everything is snugly in its place, there’s no excesses of alcohol or extract, and there’s a crunch and bounce to it that keeps you coming back for more. It’s a joyful wine, no small part of that joy derived from its steadfast affordability. What more do we need? Of course, we’ll think of something, but it would be hard to name a category of red wine that’s given us more sheer pleasure lately than cru Beaujolais—some of the best price-to-quality red wine on the planet. This enervating 2013 is the latest example, and it’s a prime candidate for a regular spot in your rotation. It’s one of my favorite reds of 2016 (when you taste it, you will understand).
“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 all 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 wine is very much Béatrice’s show—and while it may be cliché to say so, “femininity” is a hallmark of Fleurie wines. La Madone 2013 shows off a more red-fruited side of Gamay, its raspberry/cherry perfume more than a little reminiscent of Pinot Noir, and this owes at least in part to their 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 foudres. 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 this perfectly proportioned wine, it gets darn close to Pinot Noir.
To put a finer point on it, the 2013 La Madone doesn’t taste as much like Pinot Noir as it behaves like it. It’s a wine of great finesse, perfume, and energy, even if the specifics differ. Whereas much Beaujolais, even some ‘cru’ Beaujolais, is a softer, plumper animal, this one is lithe, pretty, and, yes, feminine. In the glass it’s a saturated ruby-red that extends to the rim. The nose is assertive and red-fruited, with a tart bing cherry note ringing the clearest, along with strawberry, cranberry, currants, dried herbs and crushed stones. On the palate its minerality really takes center stage, the well-concentrated fruit melding with an almost bloody, iodine-like savor. It is impeccably balanced and just vibrates with energy: brisk acid snaps the palate to attention, inviting you back for another sip, while each swallow leaves long-lingering scents of rose petals and dried fruits. It’s feminine, sure, but assertive, structured, ‘Nasty Woman’-level feminine that will in no way demure when served alongside a medium-rare steak. Delicious right out of the bottle, it should be served on the cool side—60 degrees—in Burgundy stems. Thanks to its mild tannins and moderate alcohol, it’ll play nicely with spicier dishes like these
skirt steak tacos from Bobby Flay, but ultimately, this wine goes with everything. What more could you ask for?
