2016 Domaine De Fa Fleurie Roche Guillon Organic, Beaujolais

Certified organic (biodynamic farming). The winemaking is the same as the En Besset. This is from the Roche Guillon lieu-dit, a steep, terraced climat in Fleurie. Rising to 350 metres altitude, Roche Guillon lies on a hillside close to Poncié (which we know well from the Vissoux stable). Coincidentally, another newcomer to the area, Frédéric Lafarge, also farms vines on this same hill. Hemmed by forest and stream, it's a beautiful place and the old, biodynamically managed vines, are rooted in pink granitic sand mixed through with limestone and clay, a soil known locally as gore. This is only the Domaine's second release from this climat and while the 2015 set the bar high enough, the 2016 is a step up in both grace and charm. It's again very fine and mineral, with pristine cherry stone, wild strawberry and floral aromas and flavours, complexed by crunchy freshness and a savoury, smoky finish with fine tannins. You will immediately find it to be more uncluttered and seductive than last year's wine. It gets better and better with air, as it will with time in the bottle.