The name Juliénas is an ode to Julius Caesar. The Romans planted vines in Beaujolais over 2,000 years ago, and according to wine lore, their place of choice was Juliénas, which is complicatedly diverse in soil types. Partly sandwiched, in the northern sector, between Chénas and Saint-Amour, the best-kept secrets of Juliénas have unusual blue-colored stones of schist, volcanic material, and granite. The magic is these blueish colored stones on steep south-facing slopes, which enhances Gamay with exotic spices, pitch-perfect floral notes, and an intensity that rivals age-worthy Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. 

The Perrachon family of Château de la Bottière has a striking portfolio of parcels from Fleurie to Morgon, but Juliénas is their lifeline. Like the Romans, they are deeply connected to Juliénas, having settled there in 1601. Farmers first, they established their estate in 1877, and today, seventh-generation Laurent Perrachon continues the efforts of his ancestors. There is nothing fancy or strictly natural about Laurent’s farming or processes. He believes in the classic lutte raisonnée way of life, a reasonable approach to farming which abstains from chemical treatments but reserves the right to use these treatments when the life of the vine is in danger. 

 

If today’s wine is your first experience with a wine from Juliénas, then you are in very good hands. For this price, Laurent delivers a knockout wine, packed with big, rolling flavor. From vines that average an age of 45 years, the fruit is harvested from several parcels within Juliénas that have blue stones and granite. To preserve freshness and bounce, the fruit is partially de-stemmed and fermented for two weeks, with daily punch downs to maximize flavor. Aging takes place in concrete tanks and large, old casks. Let the wine breathe for 30 minutes and pour into a Burgundy stem where it shimmers with ruby into magenta and soft purple. On the nose, it is a breeze of dark raspberries and wild strawberries, peppered with crushed violets, peonies, star anise, and an underbelly of sweet stony earth. It is plenty smooth, pretty, and soft, but there is also a nice crunch of acid and tannin which gives the wine its lift and palate persistence. While exceedingly drinkable now, I’m confident it has enough gusto for short-term aging (3-5 years). Like Pinot Noir, Gamay syncs well with a wide array of foods. Due to the generosity of fruit and earth in this Juliénas, you can opt for something more rich than lean and let Gamay be your palate refresher. Lamb ribs can be difficult to find—you’ll have to do a little research—but it will be worth the dig. They are the unsung part of the lamb, inexpensive, and insanely tasty, just like today’s Juliénas. Try the attached recipe and, once again, win big with Gamay!