Revelatory and Rare Fleurie
2011 Yvon Métras Fleurie
Vieilles Vignes & Ultime
The deal with Yvon Métras is simple: he makes awesome Beaujolais and hates paperwork.
Numerous U.S. importers have tried to convince Métras to indulge in the paperwork necessary for importation, but to no avail.
This makes his wines nearly impossible to find this side of the Atlantic. Accordingly, they are always one of the first wines that wine geeks seek out when they land in Paris.
This lack of availability is a shame - Métras' wines can be absolutely revelatory. For the past five vintages we've tried to do our part by offering as much Metras as we can get our hands on.
Over the years, we've watched Métras' fan club really grow. The day that Métras' 2011s went online we were flooded with inquiries. (Sadly, quantities have stayed the same.)
For those of you who haven't experienced Métras, the wines are incredibly, uniquely impressive. In terms of younger Beaujolais, say in their first three or five years, Métras has given me more impressive and delicious bottles than anyone else. (Foillard would be second and Roilette demands some patience.)
Métras' Fleuries possess a suave texture that's fascinatingly singular. Many people have mentioned that the textural element in Metras wines' is reminiscent of the wines of the late and great Henri Jayer.
 |
Overall, Métras' wines show an extra dimension compared to most other Beaujolais. They are meaty and savory with dark, perfumed fruits, almost moist in their ripeness. The minerality is broad, plush, midnight-black granite pulverized and infused all through the palate and defining the rigorous structure of the wine.
Today, we offer Métras' two top wines, his 2011 Fleurie VV and Ultime.
In Fleurie, Métras farms the Grille-Midi and La Madone: both are top sites in prime, steep and very sunny climats. They are situated in the sandy, pink granite soils that yield a very classically feminine style of Fleurie that's earned the title of "the Queen of Beaujolais."
His Fleurie VV is sourced from both vineyards from vines ranging from 70-100 years of age. It offers a gorgeously perfumed nose of violets, crushed rock, smoke, and a combination of red and purple fruits.
As for Ultime, it's a super-rare selection of beautiful fruit from very low yielding old vines from the same two vineyards. This all contributes to an even more significant dose of structure and tannin as well as greater concentration and depth.
The 2011 vintage in Beaujolais combines fresh acidity and vivid earth/mineral tones with ripe fruit. In the hands of the region's best, this is a really lovely combination. The best examples will age well in the mid-term, say 5-7 years.
As I mentioned earlier, we bought all the Metras that we could get our hands on. Still, this is a fairly small parcel and once it's gone, that's it.
Please give us your maximum order and we'll do our best - preference will be given to balanced orders.
To place your order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits