Beaujolais-palooza!

Two natural Beaujolais

Two interesting expressions of Beaujolais, from a couple of the natural wine crowd. Beaujolais is a real hub of natural winemakers, many of whom were inspired by the late Jules Chauvet, widely recognized as the father of natural wine.

Jean-Claude Lapalu Brouilly 2007 Beaujolais
13% alcohol. A startling wine: fresh, spicy and a bit animal, with a tingly metallic finish, but also some lovely dark cherry fruit. It’s lively and quite elegant with a distinctive fruitiness. The Brettanomyces character that is affecting this bottle works quite well in this context; the wine is savoury and structured with lovely dark cherry fruit that can just carry the spicy, animal notes. 90/100

Yvon Metral Fleurie 2007 Beaujolais
13% alcohol. Brooding, spicy, dark cherry and plum nose. The palate is sweet, dense and rich with elegant dark cherry fruit and intense spicy notes, as well as hints of earth. Lovely fruit here: a dense but fresh style of wine, perhaps with a hint of Brettanomyces on the finish. Harmonious and stylish. 91/100

Both wines available from Les Caves de Pyrene in the UK, at a shade under £20.