JULIÉNAS 2022
Grape varietal
100% Black Gamay (with white juice).
Tasting notes
Colour: deep and intense ruby dress.
Nose: generous bouquet of flowers (peony...) and fruits (redcurrant, raspberry, wild strawberry).
Palate: It is a structured and balanced wine with a nice length on the palate.
Serving suggestions
Serve ideally at a temperature situated between 12 and 15°C. (53-59°F.).
Food and wine pairing
An elegant companion to meals, such as a great steak, fine pork and obviously the “Coq au vin” of Juliénas.
Ageing potential
Ready to drink but might be kept until 3 to 5 years.
Terroir
Juliénas, which according to etymology, takes its name from Julius Caesar, is located at the northern gateway to the Beaujolais Vineyard, at the crossroads of two kingdoms: the ending of Gamay and the emerging of Chardonnay.
The Juliénas terroir is made up to the west of lean and arid granite soils, infiltrated with veins of manganese and porphyries which, towards the east, give way to formations of the secondary era, ancient alluvium, deeper soils and more clayey.
Vinification and maturing
Harvest: manual.
Wine making: the harvest, on the arrival at the cuverie is handled in different ways, with grape-bunches with the lowest yields being de-stemmed. That allows for longer macerations with the extraction of gentle tannins, giving better complexity.
Ageing: in vats.
Vintage : 2022
Rainfall in June was highly variable from one area to another. In the south of Beaujolais, where most of the Chardonnays are concentrated, there was little rain, unlike the north, where the crus are located. The intense heat of July and August accelerated the ripening process for the Gamay grapes. The harvest was characterised by great disparity between the plots. Some grapes did not withstand these extreme conditions and lost a lot of juice, while others resisted them exceptionally well. Several factors explain these divisions such as the heavily drained soil, the exposure, and the age and yield on the vine. There was little difference between the early and late sectors.
The harvest took place from 23 August to 10 September. Volumes were lower throughout the appellation, but the quality was good. This year we have focused on de-stemming with long macerations to enhance the wine's elegance. Naturally, our traditional semi-carbonated vinification with whole grapes is still used to extract the aromatic finesse of the Gamay grapes, as well as some hot pre-fermentative maceration to extract as much colour as possible from the grapes that suffered the most from the drought.
The wines are beautifully concentrated with a lovely volume in the mouth. Tannins are prominent. Tasting is a real pleasure. The nose and palate reveal raspberry and cherry liqueur aromas, smooth blueberry cream accompanied by violets, dark chocolate and pear.
