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Synopsis, Our Opinion: All three are OUTSTANDING Beaujolais Nouveau.
Producer/Winery:
Pierre-Marie Chermette; Saint Verand, France
Domaine Dupeuble; Le Breuil, France
Jean-Paul Brun; Charnay, France.
Grape Variety: Gamay.
Geographic Appellation,, Region, Country: Beaujolais; Burgundy, France.
Vintage: 2019
Price: (All with a 10% mixed case discount, but including the 25% tariff on wines from France.)
Pierre-Marie Chermette $14.40
Dupeuble Nouveau $17.10
Jean-Paul Brun L’ancien $15.30
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: Pork BBQ and coleslaw.
Tasting:
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Note: Beaujolais Nouveau is made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France and gets its easy drinkability because its made using a winemaking process called carbonic maceration or whole-berry fermentation. This technique preserves the fresh, fruity quality of the grapes and produces wines light in body and almost entirely free of tannins, but the wines do not age well. This year we purchased Nouveau made by three different producers and we couldn’t resist doing a blind side-by-side tasting. This method of tasting is very revealing and really brought out the subtle differences of the three wines. See also a 2012 comparison tasting Jean-Paul Brun, Domaine des Terres Dorees, L’Ancien Vielles Vignes 2012 Beaujolais & Jean-Paul Brun, Domaine des Terres Dorees, Cote De Brouilly Beaujolais 2012: Comparison Tasting
All three were chilled to about 60 degrees and opened 30-minutes before drinking. They were all equally clear, ruby color with the same color rim. The aromas all contained a damp earth, wet wood smells, they all had a smooth entry, slightly tart cherry tastes and were all light bodied wines, but that’s about where the similarity ended.
Griottes Pierre-Marie Chermette:
Of the three this was the heavy hitter. The aromas were stronger, the mouthfeel more meaty and it was a more pungent wine overall. It also had slightly higher alcohol content and it was apparent from the taste and back of the throat feel. The alcohol was a negative characteristic when drinking them side-by-side. Of the three this was the most vibrant and lusty.
Dupeuble Nouveau:
This wine was clearly less intense than the other two and the flavors more subdued although we did get hints of orange zest and a tangy undertones we didn’t fine in the other two. It also had slightly more acidity which gave a fresher more lively character. In addition to the cherry it was rich in dark fruit flavors that really gave it depth and substance,
Jean-Paul Brun L’ancien:
In addition to the cherry this wine had more complex flavors of strawberry and boysenberry from mid-palate through the finish. The finish was longer, more flavorful and richer than the other two. Even as we tasted the first sip we both commented that this wine really had a noteworthy finish. We were also taken by the fruity aroma of this wine and that it lasted to the very last sip better than the other two. Of the three we also thought this one had better balance of the fruit flavors and acidity.
Photo from Wikipedia.
These wines were all light, fruity and delicious Beaujolais Nouveau and we would recommend all three. Did we have a favorite? It’s interesting to note that we did this tasting twice, drinking half the first night, then having the same dinner and the second half of the wine the second night… and our favorites changed between the two tastings. The first night we both liked the Jean-Paul Brun L’ancien best. The second night after the bottles had been opened 24-hours (re-corked and put in the refrigerator overnight) we liked the Pierre-Marie Chermette best. With that said all three are OUTSTANDING Beaujolais Nouveau and you couldn’t go wrong with any of the three.