The FINAL Batch of the STUNNING 2006!
"If there were a classification of vineyards in Morgon, Cote du Py would be a Premier Cru and Javernieres a Grand Cru." - Louis/Dressner
Today we present the last of our "Back-Vintage Beaujolais" emails, because with this parcel of wines, the needle goes to empty.
We've scored some incredible 2005 and 2006 Beaujolais over the last few months, but begin to prepare yourself for a dearth of offerings because after the riches of 2005 and 2006, Beaujolais has suffered some tough vintages with 2007 and 2008. (There are certainly a handful of gems that we will offer but they are few and far between and the quantities are limited!)
All of this to say: Those of you who want to have some top quality Beaujolais for spring/summer fun and even a 6-pack for the cellar (see below), act now. You're not going to find a more serious 2006 Beaujolais at this price.
But what a way to end our reign of 2005-2006 Beaujolais because the father and daughter team of the Desvignes are among the most serious vignerons in Beaujolais and the 2006 Javernieres is a powerful and textured example of how deep, how profound, and how ageworthy Beaujolais can be.
We've said it all before, but *REAL* Beaujolais (we're not talking about the nouveau-nonsense) is one of the most under-the-radar values out there and lovers of Pinot Noir, of Red Burgundy, of delicate, transparent wines with energy and pep should experience the 06 Desvignes. This bottle will reset your expectations (If they haven't been already) of what Beaujolais can be, no doubt.
The 2006 Desvignes has a formidable presence, a density and compactness that at least "tips its hat" to the austere grandeur of Bonnes Mares. (06 Desvignes as "Beaujolais Bonnes Mares"?) The Javernieres site is capable of gracefulness and perfume with plenty of muscle and in 06 the wine is beautifully rocky, with a stony spine wrapped by textured black currant, dark red fruits and herbs. In the bigger vintages (like 2005), this Morgon is an absolute beast that really demands cellar time. As the 2006 has a bit more energy and lift, feel free to drink it up all summer long, but consider opening the bottle several hours before drinking and don't hesitate to decant. And if you can, please cellar some!
Above we mentioned that Burghounds particularly will love this bottle. Indeed, the Desvignes are TERROIR ANIMALS. As wine goes mainstream and marketing gurus begin advising on the catchiest critter label and how to simplify everything to increase sales and accessibility, the Desvignes head gleefully in the opposite direction.
They have carved up about 5 hectares of vineyards on the holiest of slopes in Morgon, the Cote du Py, into 3 different bottlings: The regular Cote du Py and two different Javernieres bottlings - an "upper parcel" and a "lower parcel."
The Javernières bottlings are from a lower part of the Cote du Py, where larger amounts of clay and iron oxide are present over the granite and schist soils. The Desvignes consider this the sweet spot of the site - as their importer Joe Dressner writes: The Javernieres is the "Grand Cru."
While there are two distinct Javernieres bottlings, no separate labels are produced for the different wines, making it a bit of a game as to which parcel you really have in the bottle. To be perfectly honest, at this moment, we haven't been able to get a straight answer as to which bottle this is! So it goes...think of this as part of the charm, the mystery! (For those wine geeks who *really* want to know - like us - we're going to keep following up and we'll have an answer soon. Shoot us an email and we'll let you know when we know. C'mon Joe - what do we have here?)
The Desvignes enjoy a cult following in France for the seriousness of their wines and the great majority is bought from customers who make a yearly pilgrimage to the cellar door to buy their allotment. We're lucky to have some and as the reputation of this producer grows in the U.S., and it is happening quicker than even expected, these wines will be a bit more expensive (though still a silly deal) and a lot harder to find.
This is it for 2006 Desvignes, just a handful of cases. A beautiful day, a beautiful offer and while this wine will drink gorgeously all summer long - seriously, if you can, try and hide a few that you can rediscover in 5+ years. You'll be SHOCKED!
Our parcel of 2006 Desvignes is likely to be gone by Monday; click below or call the store at (212) 980-9463 to order... and thanks.
