And Pepsi is the father

Coquelet 2008 Chiroubles (Beaujolais) – Not in the best of all possible places, this is showing some withering muscle in a stew of bright acidity, all of it washed in vivid red hues. I suspect it will emerge later in a better-knit state, but right now it’s a little knotty. (8/11)

Appert a tiff

Coudert-Appert “Domaine de la Chapelle des Bois” 2009 Chiroubles (Beaujolais) – Big, brawny, and very 2009-ish (to the extent that generalization means anything), but retaining a red-berry sharpness that redeems it. At the moment, it’s pretty disjointed despite being packed and stuffed with flavor. Will time help? It couldn’t hurt. (12/10)

Bouland Bouland, Bouland Bouland (give it a try, Yale)

Bouland 2009 Chiroubles (Beaujolais) – Really, really, really good. In fact, you math geeks put a bar over that “really.” It does, however, bear marks of its birth year; the fruit tastes perfectly in-form, all rolling cherries with a hefty contribution of violet-tinged fruit, but it’s big. No, “big” isn’t quite the right word. Lush? Expansive? Microbursting? Fractal? Oh, I don’t know. It’s a serious mouthful of simultaneously serious and unserious wine, though, with the texture of rough suede and powerful vibrancy. I’ll take a foudre of this, please. (11/10)

Chiroubles in mind

Pacalet 2005 Chiroubles (Beaujolais) – Electrified gamay. Crisp light purple fruit, zippy and zingy, with a strong charge as the dominant textural element. This is a wine that refuses to sit still. Really, really good. (4/09)