Juliénas, Château-Fuissé, 2019

This traditional Beaujolais has the tell tale hallmark of Juliénas with the notes of peony in the bouquet together with raspberries, redcurrants and strawberry. It fills the mouth with flavour and has very fine fruit on the palate with good intensity and finishes with a long aftertaste with a fine tannic structure. First class Beaujolais.

The Vincent family aquired this 3 hectare estate back in 2010 but this wasn't their first sojourn in the Beaujolais. Other members of the family have had vineyards in the Morgon appellation and their wine has been made at the Chateau for many years. The soils of granite and slate give birth to a wine that has great expression of terroir, however wine making is very traditional and is done without any carbonic maceration but rather partial de-stemming and then fermentation in open-top fermenters with daily pumping over. The resulting wine is then aged partially in barrel and partially in tank, the old school way.

Beaujolais has always been a favourite of ours but this exceptional wine brings back memories of just what Beaujolais was and in our mind, what it should be today. It has a great expression of Juliénas with those bright peoni aromas that leap from the glass bolstered by red fruits. It has a great core and is supported by fine yet ripe tannins. As usual with Beaujolais it's great to drink at present but it can be cellared for a further 6 to 8 years when it will become akin to the wines of the Cote d'Or but at a fraction of the price.

• ❖ ABV: 13.5%