Arnot-Roberts Gamay Noir and M&C Lapierre “Le Beaujolais” 2024
Arnot-Roberts Gamay Noir and M&C Lapierre “Le Beaujolais” 2024
by WineNerdAndProud
7 Comments
WineNerdAndProud
**2024 Arnot-Roberts Gamay Noir, El Dorado, California**- A rare bottle in many respects, this producer is typically mailing-list only, given their incredibly small production and focus on individual vineyard sites. These grapes come from the Barsotti and Witters vineyards in the Sierra foothills at 2600ft and 3300ft elevation respectively in what is essentially a sub-alpine climate. The grapes are basket-pressed, naturally fermented, and aged in neutral oak foudres.
This is a really interesting wine.
On the nose, the wine is on the thin side, but you could absolutely be forgiven for thinking that this was a Cru Beaujolais. The mixture of carbonically and traditionally fermented grapes as well as the array of fruits make it feel like this could just be a very light example of a Chiroubles.
Raspberry, tart cherry, and strawberry are prominent on the nose, and despite the wine feeling on the lighter, earlier-picked side, the fruits are quite developed and ripe. Rose hips, green tea, and even Raspberry Zinger tea are also quite prominent, and there’s even a hint of candy; like the $.99 candy necklaces, or Smarties/Rockets.
On the palate, you’re immediately hit with quite high acidity, incredibly bright bing cherry, underripe raspberry, underripe strawberry, and an interesting mixture of tannins that mostly come from the grape skins and stems from the whole cluster pressing. The finish is intense and long, with all the fruit sticking around, accompanied by those smooth tannins and an interesting minerality.
Overall this is a really enjoyable wine for someone who likes their Beaujolais on the lighter, higher acid, lean side.
**2024 M&C Lapierre Beaujolais “Le Beajolais”, Beaujolais** From one of my absolute favorite Beaujolais producers, this is another more limited bottle from Mattieu & Camille Lapierre (the son and daughter of Marcel), this wine is described as the “midway cuvee” between the Raisins Gallois and the Morgon. From small parcels across the village line from Morgon, the grapes go through full carbonic maceration without SO2 and get roughly 6 months of ageing.
As the name suggests, this wine really is what you’d expect for *The Beaujolais*.
On the nose, the first thing you notice is that it’s quite full, and the equally full but very subdued carbonic flavors. A powerful mixture of red and black fruits and a subtle minerally earthiness.
Black cherry, black raspberry, red raspberry, a touch of pomegranate, raspberry fruit leather, and the tiniest hint of Kool-aid, strangely.
On the palate, the wine is full, with the dark cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate dominating the fruit side, with either an earthy minerality or a minerally earthiness making up much of the weight. The tannins here are also subtle, but present, and they give the wine a good backbone on which to enjoy the other flavors.
The acidity is much lower than the Arnot and the fruits are more ripe, and their presence is a lot more powerful.
The finish stays with you for quite a long time, and as it does, the minerality tickles your cheeks as the raspberry slowly starts turning into raspberry jam.
An excellent bottle of wine that is perfectly enjoyable right now, or even a few years down the road.
ESB409
What was the respective price on these two? Also, FWIW, while I don’t usually see the Gamay, Arnot-Roberts does show up reasonably enough at a number of wine stores near me on the East Coast.
surreal_goat
Big fan of that M&C.
Impossible-Role-3796
Fun side by side!
Janda_42
Great notes. I really can’t wait for my A-R allocation to arrive in a couple months.
Ill_Competition_7223
Arnot has two gamays. This one from Eldorado and another from the Ascona vineyard in the Sierra foothills. I buy a half case each per release. Love both, but every side by side I’ve done people always prefer the Ascona. Arnot also always sells out of the Ascona but you can usually buy the Eldo at the winery
Defiant_Day8427
I still have the 2019 Arbot Roberts Trousseau Noth Coast in my cellar. Its time to enjoy. Thank you for the reminder
7 Comments
**2024 Arnot-Roberts Gamay Noir, El Dorado, California**- A rare bottle in many respects, this producer is typically mailing-list only, given their incredibly small production and focus on individual vineyard sites. These grapes come from the Barsotti and Witters vineyards in the Sierra foothills at 2600ft and 3300ft elevation respectively in what is essentially a sub-alpine climate. The grapes are basket-pressed, naturally fermented, and aged in neutral oak foudres.
This is a really interesting wine.
On the nose, the wine is on the thin side, but you could absolutely be forgiven for thinking that this was a Cru Beaujolais. The mixture of carbonically and traditionally fermented grapes as well as the array of fruits make it feel like this could just be a very light example of a Chiroubles.
Raspberry, tart cherry, and strawberry are prominent on the nose, and despite the wine feeling on the lighter, earlier-picked side, the fruits are quite developed and ripe. Rose hips, green tea, and even Raspberry Zinger tea are also quite prominent, and there’s even a hint of candy; like the $.99 candy necklaces, or Smarties/Rockets.
On the palate, you’re immediately hit with quite high acidity, incredibly bright bing cherry, underripe raspberry, underripe strawberry, and an interesting mixture of tannins that mostly come from the grape skins and stems from the whole cluster pressing. The finish is intense and long, with all the fruit sticking around, accompanied by those smooth tannins and an interesting minerality.
Overall this is a really enjoyable wine for someone who likes their Beaujolais on the lighter, higher acid, lean side.
**2024 M&C Lapierre Beaujolais “Le Beajolais”, Beaujolais** From one of my absolute favorite Beaujolais producers, this is another more limited bottle from Mattieu & Camille Lapierre (the son and daughter of Marcel), this wine is described as the “midway cuvee” between the Raisins Gallois and the Morgon. From small parcels across the village line from Morgon, the grapes go through full carbonic maceration without SO2 and get roughly 6 months of ageing.
As the name suggests, this wine really is what you’d expect for *The Beaujolais*.
On the nose, the first thing you notice is that it’s quite full, and the equally full but very subdued carbonic flavors. A powerful mixture of red and black fruits and a subtle minerally earthiness.
Black cherry, black raspberry, red raspberry, a touch of pomegranate, raspberry fruit leather, and the tiniest hint of Kool-aid, strangely.
On the palate, the wine is full, with the dark cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate dominating the fruit side, with either an earthy minerality or a minerally earthiness making up much of the weight. The tannins here are also subtle, but present, and they give the wine a good backbone on which to enjoy the other flavors.
The acidity is much lower than the Arnot and the fruits are more ripe, and their presence is a lot more powerful.
The finish stays with you for quite a long time, and as it does, the minerality tickles your cheeks as the raspberry slowly starts turning into raspberry jam.
An excellent bottle of wine that is perfectly enjoyable right now, or even a few years down the road.
What was the respective price on these two? Also, FWIW, while I don’t usually see the Gamay, Arnot-Roberts does show up reasonably enough at a number of wine stores near me on the East Coast.
Big fan of that M&C.
Fun side by side!
Great notes. I really can’t wait for my A-R allocation to arrive in a couple months.
Arnot has two gamays. This one from Eldorado and another from the Ascona vineyard in the Sierra foothills. I buy a half case each per release. Love both, but every side by side I’ve done people always prefer the Ascona. Arnot also always sells out of the Ascona but you can usually buy the Eldo at the winery
I still have the 2019 Arbot Roberts Trousseau Noth Coast in my cellar. Its time to enjoy. Thank you for the reminder