To celebrate 2011 I went to a friend’s house where we started the day with Gamay and Pinot Noir.  Gamay is a lighter style of wine but still quite fruit driven, refreshing and has low tannins.  So if you’ve had a heavy evening the night before, Gamay is a good choice.  Gamay is at home in Beaujolais, France (and a few other countries in the world).  Many will have heard of Beaujolais Nouveau but that’s a world apart from what we were drinking.

Source: www.flickr.com/photos/marcosarruda/5295391970/#/

So a few I would recommend are:

Côte de Brouilly 2009, Les Volcaniques from Domaine Jacques Charlet, £9.80 at Tanners.  Brouilly is the largest Cru in Beaujolais, within which is the sub-district of Côte de Brouilly and Mount Brouilly is an extinct volanco, hence the name, “Les Volcaniques.”  Pure fruit – cherries and plums are supported by a hint of minerality and soft tannins you might even find that you start to taste the volanic soil!

L’Ancien Beaujolais 2009, Jean-Paul Brun £12.50/£12.95 at Wined Up Here (I can’t find my receipt!)   Very fresh and clean.  Pure fruit silky smooth with aromas of plums and cherries.  Although it is light bodied there’s a depth to it and the length continues well after you’ve swallowed the last drop!  So many people have said 2009 is the most amazing vintage for decades, I would happily drink this wine again!

Brouilly, Joseph Drouhin 2008, (not sure of the price as my friend bought it).  2008 wasn’t as  good as 2009 but this well-known family has been producing great wine since the end of the 19th century and this bottle is no exception.  The estate was founded in Beane in 1880 and since 1988 the family has an estate in Oregon, USA.  Juicy, fruit-driven, hints of cherries and plums with refreshing acidity, the flavours are enticing, I really enjoyed this wine.

Towards the end of the day, we moved onto Pinot Noir.  The Savigny-Les-Beaune 2007 from Domaine Antonin Guyon is delicious.  Savigny-Les-Beaune just north west of Beune isn’t as well known to the average consumer as Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault and Nuits-St-Georges.  But having produced wine for over 40 years, the Guyon family know what they’re doing.  You could keep this wine for another 5-7 years and it would age gracefully.  With already 3 years in bottle, it was showing hints of what it could become.  Aromas of green peppers, mushrooms, earthy aromas and the different layers of flavours coupled with the refreshing acidity and berries meant I just didn’t want it to end!