Description
Jean-Claude Lapalu, Côte de Brouilly
Ever since opening our doors, Cru Beaujolais’ rise to prominence has been a headline story, and a wine like Lapalu’s Côte de Brouilly reminds everyone why the unending attention is well-deserved. There was a time when the region was considered a bit of a backwater, but these days it’s a sought-after destination, not to mention an epicenter of “natural wine” production.
Widely respected vigneron Jean-Paul Lapalu entered this fray back in 1995, working in vineyards previously farmed by his father and grandfather, and he has become a revered Burgundy figure for producing wines that are both natural and impeccably clean. We all had high expectations when today’s Côte de Brouilly showed up, and we weren’t at all surprised when those expectations were exceeded—to the point where I wondered aloud if Cru Beaujolais was the “perfect” red wine. This one is the perfect “size,” for one thing—medium-bodied but concentrated, with an expertly calibrated amount of tannin and acid—and it offers the perfect balance of brambly berry fruit and rocky earth. So yes, perfect, right down to the price. You really couldn’t ask for more from a bottle of red wine.
Today’s offer is Lapalu’s Côte de Brouilly, and it evokes its place of origin with great precision. The vineyards of the Côte de Brouilly appellation—one of the 10 “crus” of Beaujolais—are arrayed on the steep eastern and southern slopes of the hill, which is a long-extinct volcano. One of the key features distinguishing Côte de Brouilly is the presence of bluish volcanic stone called diorite, along with the granite found in much of the region. Although the relatively high altitudes of the Côte de Brouilly vineyards help them maintain brightness and aromatic lift, the vineyard sites are very well-exposed to sun, so there is no lack of concentration in the wines. Both the exposures and the rocky, mineral-rich soils give the wines a darker, more peppery note relative to some more-floral expressions like Fleurie. I taste soil when I taste this wine, and I like it!
Lapalu obtained Ecocert organic certification for his vineyards in 2010, and incorporates many biodynamic farming practices as well. Combine this with roughly nine hectares of heirloom vines ranging in age from 50 to 100+ years and you’ve got the basis for some profound wines. This 2020 undergoes a “semi-carbonic” maceration/fermentation in tank which lasts a good three weeks (longer than the norm). The wine is then aged 6-8 months in used French oak tonneaux, with sulfur added only at bottling and only in the smallest possible amount. And if you weren’t already impressed by the price, consider that only about 300 cases of this cuvée are produced.
So, in addition to mineral, structured, and perfumed, you get rare, too—for $38! In the glass, it displays a concentrated ruby-purple core moving to a magenta rim, with aromas that make you feel like you’re picking wild berries in a forest someplace. Aromas of black raspberries, Bing cherries, plums, violets, black pepper, and underbrush carry over to the plump, medium-bodied (almost medium-plus) palate, which is at once stony and silky. Its deep, iron-fisted minerality is balanced beautifully by the concentrated fruit, which I’ll chalk up to Lapalu’s prized vieilles vignes (old vines). It is ready to enjoy now and over the next few years in Burgundy stems at 60 degrees, and while decanting isn’t necessary, it never hurts. Even though it is in no way heavy, it has a rustic, “wintry” quality that will pair beautifully with hearty stews (like the Beaujolais classic coq au vin) and other cold-weather fare—whatever your definition of that may be. It’s just fantastic. Don’t miss it!
