Beaujolais am Limit - Weltklasse-Gamay von Sunier & Thévenet - (1)5 MINUTEN FÜR WEIN AM LIMIT

//Advertisement Click here for the wines: 2021 BEAUJOLAIS-VILLAGES - https://shop.weinamlimit.de/wein/rotw... 2021 MORGON - https://shop.weinamlimit.de/wein/rotw... 2018 MORGON CENTENAIRE - https://shop.weinamlimit.de/wein/rotw... Wein am Limit now features two winemakers from Beaujolais. We welcome Anthony Thevenet to the WaL family with thunderous applause. However, there's a slight problem: In the eyes of many wine enthusiasts, the Gamays from the south are to the great Burgundies what an all-inclusive resort in Mallorca is to a luxury resort in the Maldives. This harsh criticism is certainly not fair to Beaujolais. There's another side to the story, and it lies in the region's more recent history. You just have to know it. The blame for the wine's poor image lies with what is arguably the most successful marketing campaign in the wine world since World War II. It's called "Beaujolais Nouveau," and its core principle is to bring Beaujolais to market as fruity as possible and in the same year it's harvested. Every year on the third Thursday of November, the cry goes up: "Le Beaujolais nouveau est arivée!" ("The Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!"). Easy-drinking wine is in demand. In the cellar, the method of choice is carbonic maceration. This results in low tannins and, combined with cool fermentation temperatures, produces an abundance of cherry and raspberry fruit. The earliest possible drinking pleasure! Unfortunately, this is all too often accompanied by overpowering aromas of banana and hard candy if the winemaker has overdone it with the cooling coil. Gamay, due to its natural characteristics, made it easy for winemakers to distort it, much like the effervescence of Gleria, also known as Prosecco. This inherent openness was shamelessly exploited to create a mainstream product. The Rise of Beaujolais... In the early 1990s, Beaujolais Nouveau was so successful that roughly half of the entire annual production was dedicated to the event and the weeks that followed. A distinct wine region with a long history was thus perceived as a mere vinological tourist trap. Unfairly so. For there have always been Beaujolais wines of considerable quality, individuality, and aging potential. Those seeking them will primarily turn to the 10 "Crus"—the 10 villages in the north that are permitted to be named on the label. The top three of these are Morgon, Fleurie, and Moulin-à-Vent. In recent years, it seems the region's lowest point has finally been overcome. New, young producers have entered the scene with serious wines. Quite a few of them produce biodynamic or even natural wines. And this has much to do with the fact that some of the founding fathers of the natural wine movement also come from Beaujolais. It all started in the 1960s with the winemaker and scientist Jules Chauvet, around whom a group formed in the early 1980s that would later be known as the Gang of Five. These were the five winemakers Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Guy Breton, Jean Thévenet, and Joseph Chamonard from Villié-Morgon. That's how it is… movements like the industrialization of an entire appellation always trigger counter-movements. The newcomer at WaL: Anthony Thévenet Anthony Thévenet's family estate is rather hidden away in Villié-Morgon. His family roots stretch deep into the region's history. He inherited several old vineyards (approximately 150 years old) from his grandparents. Inspired by the idea of ​​crafting natural wines, he completed his apprenticeship and journeyman years with Georges Descombes and Jean Foillard. His training then took place at a large winery, which, however, failed to inspire him, leading to a profound change of heart. In 2013, Anthony began bottling wines under his own label. His untreated wines mature in a natural stone cellar in demi-muids and used barriques. Carbonic maceration in cement tanks, no filtration, no fining, low yields of around 30 hl/ha, and minimal sulfur additions (15mg/L) only shortly before bottling are the essential pillars of his philosophy, alongside the organic cultivation of his vineyards. Anthony Thévenet's collection clearly demonstrates the potential slumbering in the vineyards of Morgon and Chenas. Gamay, with its typically charming and approachable fruit, reaches its full potential in these wines. Profound, spicy, with a rich color and aging potential of 10+ years. Here's to more Beaujolais enjoyment in your glass, Bianca, Hendrik & the WaL Team