Graphite and Cranberry. We often write about wines that are delicately crafted and perfectly aged — elegant Grand Cru Burgundy, dark woodsy Bordeaux, or mouthfilling Châteauneuf-du-Pape. These are special wines for special occasions, meant to be sat with, contemplated, and savored. Today’s wine is not one of these.
Fine Beaujolais can be serious, but it’s rarely self-righteous. As Jancis Robinson puts it, “Beaujolais is meant to be drunk, rather than discussed or collected.” And while the wines of the 10 “Beaujolais Crus” are far more interesting than the overhyped nouveau, they all carry the region’s signature jovial, unpretentious spirit.
Six Centuries. Wine has been made at the Chateau de Juliénas since the 15th century. Today the Condemine family runs the domaine with a friendly modesty, and their wines are similarly welcoming. Juliénas is considered among the richest and fullest of the Beaujolais Crus, and the Chateau’s signature wine is no exception.
The 2013 Juliénas Prestige is delicious and unusually complex. The nose shows graphite, deep cranberry, and wild honey; the mouth shows a juicy attack followed by a sturdy, crackling mouthfeel. The iconic wines of France have their time and place — but at the end of a hot summer day, we’ll take a cool bottle of Beaujolais.
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JULIÉNAS Prestige 2013
Ansonia Retail: $24
case, half-case: $17.95/bot
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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS
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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657
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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale. All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts. Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.