Domaine J. Chamonard – Morgon Cru Beaujolais Le Clos du Lys 1997

This is a story about how I first encountered aged Beaujolais Crus – a fabled breed about which many wine lovers speak of with great fondness. My first entrée into the enthusiasm that surrounds this particular libation came courtesy of Stéphane Drieux on Vivino. I was enticed by claims that Gamay could approach the transcendence of Burgundian Pinot Noir. And if it did not surpass Pinot Noir, it certainly rewarded the ever-so-patient wine lover an accessible glimpse. Yes, time and a reminder that good things come to those who wait.

My first taste of aged Beaujolais was in Lyon in 2015, when I was casually offered a six-year-old bottle of Cuvée Marcel Lapierre 2009 at the delightful wine shop Vercoquin. Then there was an eight-year-old Jules Desjourneys’ Fleurie 2007 that I acquired from Flatiron Wines in NYC. The buyer for Flatiron Wines clearly has a thing for aged Crus Beaujolais. So I was on the lookout when I had the opportunity to return to the shop recently. And voilà: I found thi…