2021 Daniel Bouland Cuvee Melanie Cote de Brouilly, Beaujolais

Named after Daniel Bouland’s daughter, Cuvée Mélanie is drawn from a small, steep, half-hectare plot on the slopes of Mont Brouilly. The 70-year-old vines are rooted on the area’s famous terres bleu (blue-tinted volcanic soils) within the lieu-dit of Tête Noire. It’s this volcanic blue schist that lends the wines of this Cru their unique mineral profile. Bouland’s 0.8-hectare parcel is planted at 12,000 vines per hectare.

As with all Bouland’s cuvées, this is a wine born from low yields and natural, whole-bunch fermentation. Densely packed with notes of cassis, blueberry, Vietnamese mint and charcuterie, the depth here is balanced by bright acidity, struck flint and supple yet structured tannins. This will complement any food that you’d pair with a good Nuits-Saint-Georges, not to mention it has the potential to improve in the cellar for years to come.