Another wine from Weygandt Wines, the new wine store in DC featuring importer Peter Weygandt’s portfolio. One of the great things about the store is that they taste wines every day. They usually taste the same half dozen or so wines for the week, but last Saturday they tweeted that they tasting some different wines than earlier in the week. The Morgon from Bouland caught my eye and so I decided to stop by given that it was Saturday and Peter Weygandt might also be at the store (which he was).
I tasted the wine at the store and picked up a couple of bottles to bring home. The 2008 Daniel Bouland Morgon Vieilles Vignes is 100% Gamay made from 60 to 90 year-old vines grown on granitic soils that are rich in iron and manganese. Daniel Bouland is considered one of the traditionalists in Beaujolais, careful hand-harvesting, very low yields and wild yeast fermentations help create a complex and ageworthy Morgon (5 to 15 years is recommended by the estate).
Dark ruby color — with a shade of black olive, but transparent. Nose of strawberry and cherry with some earthy and floral notes. On the palate, loaded with cherry, strawberry and raspberry as well as some cranberry, earth, and crushed asphalt. This might be a serious Beaujolais, but it is also ranks very high in quaffability. Lightly fined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Recommended and a very good value at $20 a bottle, not to mention a solid choice for Thanksgiving.
More Thanksgiving picks:
Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT 2006
Jean & Agnes Foillard — Morgon Cuvée Corcelette Vieille Vigne 2007
Occhipinti SP68 Rosso Vittoria 2008
Rhys Alesia Sonoma Coast Chileno Vally Pinot Noir 2006 (or any Pinot from Rhys)
Passopisciaro Sicily IGT 2005
Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007
Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 (or one of the great CdPs from 07)
Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône 2007
Domaine Richaud Côtes du Rhône Terres de Galets 2007
Edmunds St. John Rocks & Gravel 2005
Cheverny Le Petit Chambord Domaine Francois Cazin 2007
André Perret Saint Jospeh 2007
Domaine Ricard Cuvee Les Trois Chênes 2008
Tablas Creek Vineyard Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2008
Mas des Bressades Roussanne-Viognier 2007
Mourges du Gres Terre d’Argence Blanc 2007
