Fleurie "Les Garants"

This was a delightful find. We were very happy with Jocelyne Depardon as our Fleurie producer, but Jocelyne has stopped making wine. So we were very happy when one of our best, Franck, told us he now had a fleurie. And when we tasted it, I remarked to Franck it did remind me of Jocelyne's, with a not-quite-typical touch of spice, although with a different style. Imagine my surprise to hear this comes from the same vineyards. It makes me very happy to know someone as good as Franck is taking care of Jocelyne's vineyards, and making cracking Fleurie. This is a very worthy successor, and it will be a facinating tasting to compare the vintages and the winemaker's signatures from 2009 to 2015, on onwards.

Ben says of the 2015 (October 2018): A combination of "lost" vines from Point du Jour and their subsequent discovery by Franck Bessone have meant that we now have this remarkable Fleurie available. Thanks to Franck's genius, it gives the impression of having at least five years maturity. This is a beautifully weighty wine but not one fraught with too much gravitas. The acidity, though very well balanced, keeps it fresh and lively. Aromas and flavours of cherry predominate, as expected. This is Gamay as Gamay should be. Bravo, Franck!