Tasting Notes
Most of Daniel Bouland’s old bush vines are rooted within the Morgon climat of Corcelette, in the hilly Haut-Morgon to the northwest of the appellation. Within this area, there are several lieux-dits that Bouland now bottles separately, and Bellevue is one of these. It’s a southeast-facing, particularly stony site (cailloux means rocks), with plenty of schist running through the granitic, sandy base soil (much like in the Côte du Py). The plethora of rock on the surface traps and radiates warmth and, as a result, this is Bouland’s earliest-ripening site. The vines were planted in 1951 and 1987. This is made the same way as the Bellevue Sable wine (below)—natural, whole-bunch ferment, concrete tank élevage and no fining—though the vines are on different rootstocks (420A rootstock in this case, specifically designed for terroirs that are very stony and have no topsoil). Also, the vines are a touch older than in the Sable.
It opens with a twist of youthful reduction, something Bouland attributes to the thin, rocky soils, but this is nothing that a decant or time in the glass doesn’t take care of. While the wine offers a profile roughly similar to the Sable, there’s an added level of intensity and slightly higher acidity. Bouland himself sees the main difference as the depth of tannin, with the Cailloux’s tannin being slightly bonier and fresher. Either way, both are brilliant wines. - Importer Note
There is nothing "nouveau" about this new release of Beaujolais: Daniel Bouland is old school. He might not have the superstar status of the likes of Lapierre or Foillard, but he certainly is a favourite of ours, and joins the elite as one of only five producers in Beaujolais to be classified as a "producteur des très grande qualité".
Bouland is a reclusive genius. He spends his time tending and hand-picking his 6 hectares of old vine Gamay, spread mainly throughout Morgon, one of the 10 Beaujolais crus.
The soils of Morgon range from sandy loams to heavier clays, and the ferrous richness is expressed by a deep, and Burgundian earthiness. Bouland's Morgon wines are certainly worthy of the verb "to morgonner", the term given to the distinct wines of Morgon that age to become silky in a Burgundian fashion.
Each release, Bouland's 10 cuvées explore the site-specific pockets of his vineyards across Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly and of course both the pebbly and the sandy soils of the lieux-dits of Morgon. - Peta W
| Product Type | Wine Red Gamay & Beaujolais |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Beaujolais |
| Sub Region | Morgon |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |