Recently I had the opportunity to attend a Beaujolais Masterclass seminar and tasting hosted by World Wine Synergy and conducted by John Volpe, Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria. With special guest Dominique Piron, a 14th generation winemaker at Vieux Bourg, Beaujolais, France.
»Un vin juste doit avoir la gueule de l’endroit et de l’année où il est né,
et les tripes du bonhomme qui l’a fait »
Beaujolais Blanc ‘Clos du Vieux Bourg’ 2023
TERROIR
Clay and limestone soils in the Clos du Domaine du Vieux Bourg in Corcelles-en-Beaujolais.
TASTING
With this terroir, Chardonnay expresses all its freshness and minerality…. with floral notes and aromatic intensity.
Drink within 1 to 5 years.
FOOD AND WINE PAIRING
This white Beaujolais goes well with fish dishes, white meats … and is ideal as an aperitif, or even on its own!
PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN IN FRANCE – PDO
Beaujolais Blanc – 100% Chardonnay grape variety.
Clean and light in colour.
Scents of dusty rose. Floral notes like Lily of the Valley along with Honeydew melon and hints of stone fruit. Mixed with some delicate caramel.
On the palate the wine is smooth with excellent acidity. Some light and lingering, but a pleasant finish, of oak. Notes of salinity and minerality which is very nice.
Beaujolais Nouveau 2024
Beaujolais Villages is the gateway to the Crus. Most of the vineyard plots that make up this Beaujolais Villages are cultivated on granite soils.
TASTING
Beaujolais Villages du Vieux Bourg is a crisp, well-structured wine with aromas of crunchy red fruit.
Consume within 5 years.
FOOD AND WINE PAIRING
It’s a wine that goes very well with today’s lighter cuisine, with more vegetables and less sauce… or even with fish from the Saône or the Rhône, Lyon’s two rivers.
PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN IN FRANCE – PDO
Beaujolais Villages
Ruby red and quite clear.
Aromas of plum with wet clay. Very light mushroom and scents of beet root.
Ripe and smooth with somewhat sharper acidity. Very light, almost undistinguishable, tannins. Mellow and lighter in body. A very pleasant wine.
Régnié ‘La Croix Penet’ 2022
TERROIR
“Le Croix Penet” in the Régnié appellation is grown on granite soils.
TASTING
Régnié is a concentration of all the Crus: the fruity nose of Gamay, good substance in the Morgon style, and the crispness of a wine like Chiroubles.
2 to 10 years
FOOD AND WINE PAIRING
This is a wine that goes very well with today’s lighter, vegetable-based cuisine, with terrines, meats or grilled fish.
PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN IN FRANCE – PDO
Régnié – Cru du Beaujolais
Darker in colour.
Cranberry on the nose with plum torte and lemon pound cake with poppy seeds. An underlining yellow grapefruit. As it sits the plus notes dominate and with Deglet Noor dates.
A beautiful wine that is rich, ripe and smooth. Extremely light with enticing tannins and an excellent level of acidity.
Chénas ‘Au Bois Retour’
TERROIR
“Au Bois Retour” in the Chénas appellation is grown on granite and quartz soils.
TASTING
This Chénas wine is elegant and generous. With its silky, almost saline character, Chénas is a perfect reflection of that fifth Asian flavor, umami.
to be consumed between 2 and 10 years.
FOOD AND WINE PAIRING
Chénas is the perfect accompaniment to festive meals: rack of pork, roast poultry, veal blanquette, ragout.
PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN IN FRANCE – PDO
Chénas – Cru du Beaujolais
Dark red with some amber tinge.
Delicious scents of fine brandy make you want to relish the aromas. Liquorice and leather mixed in with aromas of black currant.
An exceptional wine with medium body although slightly lighter than expected. Tangy minerality that lingers in the mouth. Elegant and smooth with interesting light tannins and a long finish.
Morgon ‘Cinq Terres’
TERROIR
Our plots have a wide variety of soils, from schist to granite. “Cinq Terres” corresponds to the five lieux-dits in the Morgon appellation that make up this cuvée each year.
FOOD AND WINE PAIRING
Morgon is particularly appreciated with grilled red meats, gray meats such as duck or pigeon, or goat’s cheese. Gamay’s suppleness makes it a perfect match for most of the world’s cuisines.
GUARD
Beaujolais vin de garde – To be enjoyed from 5 to 10 years.
PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN IN FRANCE – PDO
Morgon – Cru du Beaujolais
A dark ruby red colour.
Scents of brandy, hard candy, plum and blackberry.
Stewed plum, blueberrries, cranberries with flavours of brown sugar and molasses, finishing with raspberry notes.
Lighter than expected and exceptionally smooth with very light tannins that develop as you sip. Some lingering tannins in the mouth. Pleasantly acidic. This was my favourite of the wines tasted.
Morgon ‘Côte du Py’
TASTING
Fleshy, dense, powerful
TASTING OCCASION
Special occasions, holiday meals, big gatherings
NOSE
Ripe stone fruit
CULINARY SUGGESTIONS
Mexican-style rib of beef with bell pepper salsa, rib of beef with raspberry shallot sauce
COLOUR
Garnet
SERVING TEMPERATURE
15-17°C
PALATE
Structured, rich, powerful, fleshy
The wine exhibited very light scents.
Pleasantly light bodied with no tannins presented. Very smooth with dark fruit and good acidity. I would describe the wine as lean. This was my second favourite of the wines tasted.
PIRON FAMILY
FAMILY ESTATE – FOR NEARLY 500 YEARS
The story begun by Dominique Piron’s ancestors in the 16th century continues with the Domaine du Vieux Bourg, created in 2021. Dominique and his team cultivate the family’s 30 hectares of vines in the Morgon, Chénas, Régnié, Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais Blanc appellations.
“He chose Morgon because it wasn’t so far away.”
Dominique Piron, 14th generation of winegrowers since Étienne Bailly (born 1590), continues the family history of Morgon. A specialist in the Morgon appellation, he devotes his time to the Domaine du Vieux Bourg in Corcelles, in the heart of the Beaujolais crus, with 30 hectares of family vines. With his team, Dominique produces Gamay red wines (Morgon, Chénas, Régnié) and Chardonnay for Beaujolais Blanc.
I’ve decided to devote myself to this beautiful profession, in this beautiful vineyard, in search of the “best” rather than the “most”.
BEAUJOLAIS HERITAGE…
Between Lyon and Burgundy, the Domaine du Vieux Bourg, a historic Beaujolais site, extends over 8 hectares of enclosed land. It includes the former Saint-Pierre de Corcelles church and its presbytery. Respecting the architecture of the church, Dominique Piron installed his winery here in 2021, combining modernity and old stones, infusing this site with the soul of Beaujolais…
We’re bringing this heritage back to life, making it a remarkable place in Beaujolais.
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Wine notes, bottle shots and feature image courtesy of the winery. Tasting notes for Côte du Py courtesy of Beaujolais.com. My notes (in italics). Thank you to World Wine Synergy for the invitation. Held at the Magnolia Hotel, Victoria.
