2016 Georges Dubœuf Domaine des Rosiers Gamay, Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais

Around St. Martin’s Day on November 11, the Talhas are tapped in Portugal and elsewhere, and on the third Thursday in Beaujolais, the Nouveau is released with much fanfare. The fanfare is well justified when you consider that n the past, wine would run out and you can imagine how happy everyone was to have it replenished! Today, while we are not at risk of running out of wine, we continue to find the release of the new wines a happy time, and Beaujolais Nouveau, which gets bottled shipped around the world in time to be opened and enjoyed on their third Thursday of November, is the best known.

So how long can a Beaujolais wine last? Well, if you’re talking about NOUVEAU Beaujolais, not long: it’s all about the fruity freshness! After all, Beaujolais Nouveau is the wine that was JUST harvested a few months prior and was on the vine the previous summer! But there is more to Beaujolais than Nouveau– and some of those wines from the Gamay grape can age! But for how long? That was the question before us when I found a 2016 Beaujolais on the clearance shelf at my local BevMo for $14 instead of $28. In 2020, we did a deep dive into Beaujolais which you can read here where  we compared two of the different areas because I found them at Grocery Outlet. (I wonder if I have any of those in the cellar still?) What fun that was! 

One of the best known and respected areas of Beaujolais is Moulin-à-Vent area of Beaujolais which is windy –the name means windmill– and the wind does blow here. In fact, during late August and early September, these strong winds zip through the vineyards slightly drying the almost ripe grapes contributing to the unique character of the wines. Along with the wind in your hair, at your feet you’ll fine rocks called le lard or “bacon” because of a striped appearance, and these rocks are found here and only here in this Cru. Iron rich granite provides the red while the white comes from eroded silica sands. 

You may also find that Gamay has very similar characteristics to Pinot Noir, and is quite a bit cheaper, and we know that Pinot can age very well and that it’s a great choice for Thanksgiving (Gamay Beaujolais too! Find Thanksgiving Beaujolais ideas here).

So how did the 2016 Georges Dubœuf Domaine des Rosiers Gamay, Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais fare? Read on to find out; below you’ll find links to articles from other winophiles who joined me and host Culinary Cam in learning about Beaujolais this month.

2016 Georges Dubœuf Domaine des Rosiers Gamay, Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais

2016 Georges Dubœuf Domaine des Rosiers Gamay, Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais

ABV: 13%
SRP: $28; purchased on sale for $14 at BevMo
Grapes: Gamay Beaujolais 

I’m still busy on my adventure in Portugal (I actually spent yesterday on an amazing biodynamic farm Montado or Herdade do Freixo do Meio, and last night I slept at a farm with a cork forest! Today I help plant acorns to grow into cork trees!). You can learn more about the wine here: Domaine des Rosiers

Appearance:  Garnet, redish brown, root beer or Dr. Pepper

Aroma: Very earthy, muddy, unmistakably French, mushroom, strawberry and cherry but it is not fruit forward, cooked fruit, sage

Palate: The palate is much more engaging than the nose, it is still well, bright tart cherry fruit, strawberry fruit, cranberry fruit, obvious tannins, lots of acidity, it is not Beaujolais as you would think of Beaujolais (young and vibrant) however it has aged nicely, sandalwood, cedar, plum finish

Pairing: The wine evolved and improved as it spent time in the glass, (which again, we were afraid to do due to the age of the wine) however this was not an issue, the bright tart fruit in the wine just melts the creamy mushroom brie and envelopes the flavor of the mushroom, fantastic with the truffle mouse pate, salt cured olives bring out the fruit in the wine, the creamy richness of the St. Andre brings out a pureness of the fruit in the wine. Such a great wine to pair with a creamy rich cheese plate with pate. This is a completely different wine when paired with food. 

Please check out the contributions from other Winophiles on the topic of Beaujolais: 

• A Burgundian Approach to Beaujolais by Food Wine Click!
• Oeufs en Meurette + Domaine Fagolet Morgon Le Janin 2020 by Culinary Cam
• Roasted Salmon with Beaujolais and Grape Coulis by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Thanksgiving Leftover Dishes with Beaujolais by Our Good Life
• And here on Wine Predator, we have 2016 Georges Dubœuf Domaine des Rosiers Gamay, Moulin-à-Vent, Beaujolais: wait, how old? by Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley

PS I leave Portugal on Saturday in order to get back to the US with plenty of time to teach my college classes on Monday. I sue wish I was staying in Portugal longer — so much to do and see and I slept so well last night at the cork forest! Sunday at the biodynamic farm Montado or Herdade do Freixo do Meio they are having a harvest fair which they do six times a year. Like the cork farm where I am staying, they also have rustic accommodations. I will plan on attending one next time I am in Portugal if at all possible!