Domaine des Fonds Fleurie 2018

Tasting Notes

Domaine des Fonds Fleurie 2018 is classic Fleurie, a lighter style of Gamay and when I say lighter I mean lighter in body but not in complexity. Fruity characteristics dominate this wine with lots of red fruit flavours & aromas like redcurrants, strawberries & red cherries and hints of rose petals. Savoury meaty notes are starting to develop but a swirl of the glass makes the fruit aromas come forward again. This wine is beautifully made with no added sulphur. In brief this is a lovely soft fruity red wine with a lovely freshness and elegance. Fleurie is one of the 10 Beaujolais crus (cru here meaning a wine producing area rather than a single vineyard) and is noted for its more ‘feminine’ style, lighter body and floral aromas just like Domaine des Fonds Fleurie 2018.

Beaujolais wines, made 100% from the Gamay grape, are the quintessential fruity wines but memories of characterless, peardrop-scented Beaujolais Nouveau mean that the name “Beaujolais” often sends a shudder down the spine.  But it is possible to find superb wines in the Beaujolais region especially in the higher classified wines of the crus Beaujolais – and because they are no longer particularly fashionable, the wines are often good value.  The Berrod family at Domaine des Fonds produces wine with minimal intervention and have gained HVE certification, confirming their sustainable approach, and are working most of their 17 hectare estate organically. They use concrete tanks for maceration and stainless steel for ageing which help preserve the fruity characteristic of the wine.