Score: 86/100
Beaujolais wine producer Jean-Marc Lafont sees the effect global warming through the harvests that are a bit earlier every year. Because of this, and having fully South-facing vineyards on granitic soils (quite warm), he decided, together with 3 friends to plant 2 grape varieties that are generally found just South of Beaujolais: in the Rhone Valley:
- Syrah: see the full review of the resulting wine, called Jean-Marc Lafont Les Sérines
- And Viognier: a white variety from the northern Rhône reviewed here.
This daring adventure is first and foremost a bet on the future: one from a Beaujolais winery looking at global warming from an optimistic point of view, allowing Jean-Marc Lafont to bring original and high-quality wines.
Tasting Notes
This Viognier from the Beaujolais area comes in quite an intense lemon-yellow color with golden hues. It looks shiny, concentrated and somewhat evolved.
The nose is predominantly spicy, confirming this impression that we’re not here with a youthful wine filled only with (primary) fruit characters, but with a wine displaying some evolution whether that’s from the winemaking or aging in bottle already!?!
These spices include white pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Touches of vanilla too.
Yes, there is some tropical fruit bringing in some welcome ripe-fruit warmth, and perhaps a touch of the apricot aroma we expect from Viognier, but very discrete.
A shy nose overall!
The palate is well balanced, with good acidity providing a mineral feel, and a medium body. Some velvety oak tannins and a touch of bitterness to the finish cu through the wine’s dryness.
Waxy flavors join the discrete tropical fruit, together with subtle spices, and hazelnut oaky tones.
Enjoy ?
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