2015 Beaujolais Chenas Quartz

Vivid ruby. Aromas of dried cherry, cassis, game and violet carry a minerally topnote. Chewy and nicely concentrated, offering smoke-tinged dark fruit and cured meat flavors that turn sweeter on the back half. Shows a distinctly wild, gamy character and finishes with solid punch and youthfully tannic grip. I'm not wild, as it were, for the rustic qualities here, but fans of funky Beaujolais might not be deterred.

60-year-old vines. 9 ha. Very steep. East exposure at 310-380 m. Granite covered with quartz crystals. Partially destemmed. Semi carbonic maceration followed by a Burgundy maceration after a few days with pumpovers and punchdowns for 18 to 20 days. Less than 30% aged in French oak for eight months. Surprisingly dark crimson. Perhaps just a touch smokily reductive but perfectly correct. Chewy, sweet and dark-fruited on the palate. More savoury than fruity and nowhere near ready. A bit of oak on the finish but not dominant. Wait. (JH)