Brouilly Chateau De La Perriere DuBoeuf, Beaujolais, France

Original review, Brouilly Chateau de La Perriere: This is appellation Brouilly beaujolais, not to be confused with the more familiar "beaujolais nouveau". Vintage beaujolais is good for a few years of keeping, unlike beaujolais nouveau, which is typically consumed when mere days or weeks old. The year 2005 was identified as an outstanding year in France for the beaujolais grape. This is a well-regarded label within that classification.

In the glass, this is medium red and purple. The nose is 100 percent ripe, stewed plums. ON the palate, the flavor comes from below, not from above. The deep plummy middle slips in and creeps up into the mouth. Light acids, light tannins, brief finish. OK, but I'll move on. Two stars out of five.

By contrast, Wine Advocate did award 91 points, and talked about it being a muscular wine with black cherry aromas and "impressive quantities" of black fruits, and "satiny layers" of blackberries.
y contrast, Wine Advocate did award 91points, and talked about it being a muscular wine with black cherryaromas and "impressive quantities" of black fruits, and "satinylayers" of blackberries.
So I guess I'll keep the second bottle around for a few years and see.

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Tasted again six months later: Consistent notes. A bit deeper in aroma. I'm still not getting the "full-bodied and concentrated - big, broad" language of Wine Advocate. A reasonable level of sleekness and polish, perhaps. But finishes almost as clean and fast as a crisp white wine.

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Updated review, almost two years later: The color of Brouilly Chateau de La Perriere remains red and purple. I don't really see the signs of age emerging yet. Aromas are still solid, deep, purple, sporting a bit of helium balloon (that usually blows off with a bit of air). On the palate, the slick dry fruit glides across your tongue in a mineral finish. Touch of acids, touch of tannin. Finish lingers a bit. There is a touch of alcohol heat on the finish.

But this wine is doing something interesting for me... after a couple of years, it is bringing attention back to itself after I had almost written it off as interesting, but not worthy of another look. Instead, it has developed balance and a touch of character. Though not displaying young tannins that made it worthy of age, the Chateau de La Perriere developed into a sleeker, understated, quite elegant wine.

I'll have to raise my score on the Spirit of Wine scale to a solid three stars, since I am drawn back to try the wine again. Even more years of age for this beaujolais?! Yes, I would suggest so. At least, it has me intrigued.

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