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: 2018 Domaine Lafarge-Vial Fleurie

2018 Domaine Lafarge-Vial Fleurie

SKU #1490215 92 points John Gilman

Outer quote mark Chantal and Frédéric Lafarge began harvesting their Beaujolais Crus on August 31st in 2018 and have crafted superb wines across the board in this vintage. The wines include twenty-five percent whole clusters and were bottled in early November of 2019. Their 2018 Fleurie is excellent, offering up a pure and nicely sappy bouquet of red and black cherries, pomegranate, gamebird, vinesmoke, a lovely base of soil and a touch of orange zest in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and nicely soil-driven in personality, with a lovely sense of granitic soil signature, just a touch of backend tannin and a long, tangy and very well-balanced finish. Fine juice. (Drink between 2020-2035) Inner quote mark (1/2020)

91 points Allen Meadows - Burghound

Outer quote mark A slightly more elegant is otherwise similar aromatic profile introduces punchy, well-detailed and lightly mineral-inflected flavors that also deliver excellent length and depth on the slightly more firmly structured finale. This too is worth your interest. Inner quote mark (4/2020)

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark Generous and gourmand, the 2018 Fleurie bursts from the glass with aromas of ripe cherries, blackberries, rose petals and warm spices. Medium to full-bodied, it's fleshy and enveloping but—like all the domaine's wines—remains bright and precise despite its dark fruit tones and broad shoulders. Powdery tannins assert themselves gently on the finish. The fourth vintage of Beaujolais newcomer Domaine Lafarge-Vial is a great success, and I found much to admire in all these new releases. Acquired in 2014 by Volnay's Frédéric Lafarge and his wife Chantal, née Vial, this four-hectare domaine is biodynamically farmed. The grapes are partially destemmed and fermented with punch-downs and pump-overs during the maceration, followed by pressing in a vertical press. Maturation is in well-used cooperage from the Domaine Lafarge in Volnay. The result is old-school cru Beaujolais, built to age. Any readers looking for Gamay that will converge with great Pinot Noir should look no further. (WK) Inner quote mark (5/2020)

90 points Vinous

Outer quote mark The 2018 Fleurie has a perfumed, quite intense bouquet of red cherries, kirsch, blood orange and violet aromas that do not hold back. The palate is smooth and sensual on the entry, very pure and harmonious , leading to a silky, sensual, black cherry and blueberry-tinged finish. (NM) Inner quote mark (1/2020)

K&L Notes

91pts Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy: "From the Belair and Cercillon vineyards, 55 to 65 year old vines, produced in a mix of 350l barrels and foudre. Intense purple with an amazing super succulent nose, a bowl of the ripest strawberries, joyous. The fruit romps across the palate, this is extraordinarily attractive already. Tasted: November 2019."

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2018 Domaine Lafarge-Vial Fleurie

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Varietal:

Gamay

- Ah, poor, oft-maligned Gamay. Once widely planted in Burgundy, today the grape is largely confined to Beaujolais. The varietal, officially called Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc is vigorous, early-ripening and can grow in cooler climates. The grapes naturally high acidity, low tannins and low potential alcohol lends itself to exuberant, fruity wines, ranging from the early-release Beaujolais Nouveau, to the more serious Cru Beaujolais from villages like Brouilly, Moulin-à-Vent and St-Amour that are steadily gaining in popularity (and can age remarkably well). Outside of Beaujolais, Gamay is also grown in small amounts around the Loire where it is called Anjou Gamay and Gamay de Touraine. It is also grown in Burgundy's Côte Chalonnaise where it is blended with Pinot Noir, as it is in Switzerland.

Country:

France

- When it comes to wine, France stands alone. No other country can beat it in terms of quality and diversity. And while many of its Region, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne most obviously, produce wine as rare, as sought-after and nearly as expensive as gold, there are just as many obscurities and values to be had from little known appellations throughout the country. To learn everything there is to know about French wine would take a lifetime. To understand and appreciate French wine, one only has to begin tasting them.

Sub-Region:

Beaujolais

- Region in east central France, often considered a part of Burgundy, but really quite distinct. The principal grape grown here is Gamay Noir. Familiar to many as the source of the Beaujolais Nouveau, the first wine of the vintage, Beaujolais is often fresh, fruity and very appealing red wine. Besides the straight Beaujolais, there is also Beaujolais Villages, and what is known as Cru Beaujolais. The 10 individual Crus, such as Moulin à Vent, Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, St. Amour and Chénas, each have their own character, and much more depth than someone who has only tried a simple Beaujolais could ever guess. These often represent value-priced, lovely, food-friendly wines.