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Jean-Claude Lapalu, Beaujolais-Villages Le Rang du Merle, 2016

Red Wine from Beaujolais, France
by Jean-Claude Lapalu
$32.99
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One of natural Beaujolais' most uncompromising talents, and a touch under the radar next to friends like Metras and Lapierre. Jean-Claude Lapalu farms organically (with some biodynamics) and adds essentially nothing in the cellar beyond a touch of sulfur when needed. Le Rang du Merle is a Beaujolais-Villages from his trove of old vines on granite and clay soils around Brouilly, many between 50 and 100 years old, which gives this bottle real depth for its category. The 2016 has had time to settle into a mature, savory groove. Gutsy yet precise, and gorgeous with a slight chill.

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Robert Parker

89 points

"The 2016 Beaujolais Villages Rang du Merle tends to be one of the last to be picked—often ten days later than other cuvées. It has a rich and expressive bouquet: redcurrant, cranberry, fig and marmalade, more confit-like than its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, expressive and generous with dates and fig on the mid-palate, segueing into a savory, almost meaty finish. I just find this utterly absorbing!" —Neal Martin

More about Jean-Claude Lapalu

In 1995, at 33, Jean-Claude Lapalu decided to bottle his own wine instead of selling to the cooperative. Now, a darling of Paris natural-wine circles, he tends 12 hectares of organically farmed old vines (averaging 60-80 years) on granite soils. A disciple of Jules Chauvet, he rejects all chemical inputs and embraces the philosophy that great wine happens in the vineyard, not the cellar.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Gamay

  • Vintage

    2016

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Traditional

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

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Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Charcuterie, roast chicken, pork terrine, grilled sausages, lentil dishes, soft cheeses.

Tasting Profile

Maturing old-vine Gamay: red and dark berries softening toward dried fruit and earth. Medium-bodied, gentle tannins, fresh acidity. Gutsy yet precise.