2005 Beaujolais Revisited
2005 Crêt de Ruyerè
Cuvée des Anges (Chiroubles)
Historic Vintage, Killer Value
"It is a superb wine." -John Gilman
Like 2005 in Burgundy, 2005 in Beaujolais is the sort of vintage that we may never see again. There's a structure, a concentration and an overall balance to the wines that's incredible and rare.
If Beaujolais is finally getting the respect that it deserves, it's largely due to the way that the 2005 vintage grabbed people's attention with its undeniable quality. The 2005 Beaujolais are that impressive.
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A few of us tasted Crêt de Ruyerè 05 Cuvée des Anges in a large tasting back in November and were very impressed. It was one of the stars of the tasting. We've been waiting ever since for a shipment from the domaine.
We were huge fans of the 2005 Beaujolais vintage, but we haven't been able to do an offer in five years. We're very excited to be able to revisit this great vintage with such a convincing wine.
While I'm tempted to immediately focus on the value this wine wields, that's only half of the story. Equally important is that this wine has really started to open up and flourish. Over the next few years, it will really bloom as layers of minerals and dark fruit become more and more expressive.
The combination of pricing, a great vintage and the wine being in a sweet spot makes this very compelling: you basically have a wine from a very special vintage that's just starting to develop the mysterious and complex secondary notes that age brings at pricing that allows for everyday drinking.
Chiroubles possesses some of the most beautiful and highest altitude vineyards in Beaujolais. Wines from Chiroubles tend to be brisk in acidity and floral.
Crêt de Ruyerè's Jean-Luc Gauthier stands out for his singular, seriously structured and savory style and his commitment to pursuing quality with an unwavering dedication.
Crêt de Ruyerè's 05 Cuvée des Anges takes Chiroubles' lithe structure and adds some muscle while maintaining plenty of energy. The 05 Cuvée des Anges is animated by a backbone of firm, dark minerality and assertive acidity. The palate is a mélange of mulberry and other dark fruits, spice, earth and crushed leaves. Every characteristic is shaped with nuance and the wine finishes with impressive length and complexity.
Most 2005 Beaujolais have been bought up and off the market for years. What makes 05 Crêt de Ruyerè Cuvée des Anges so interesting is that it allows a compelling glimpse of a great vintage seven years down the road at a very gentle price. For this reason, it's highly recommended.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
2005 Crêt de Ruyerè Cuvée des Anges (Chiroubles)
Compare at up to $33
John Gilman: "The 2005 Cuvée des Anges does not actually state that it is Chiroubles on the label, as the wine was denied the appellation certification from the board because it lacked typicité as Chiroubles. Perhaps Monsieur Gauthier should have used the banana bubble gum yeast so popular with some of the more famous big firms to ensure that the wine showed typicité? In any case, the 2005 "Cuvée des Anges" is the exact same wine as the above- just from the previous year- and I am not really sure what Les Officials saw to be a problem with this lovely wine. The nose is a complex and still quite youthful blend of dark berries, a touch of balsam bough, coffee grounds, woodsmoke, a nice touch of spice and a superb base of autumnal soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and again quite tertiary, with a lovely core of fruit, a bit of firm tannin and excellent length and grip on the broad-shouldered and complex finish. I would still give this a couple more years in the cellar to fully blossom, but it is a superb wine."
2005 Crêt de Ruyerè Cuvée des Anges arrives 1/10!
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