Brouilly - Pierreux 2020 from Domaine Nicolas Boudeau awarded World’s Best Gamay
Published on
2022-01-17
At the end of the tasting, a ‘super jury’ made up of experts (three sommeliers, an oenologist and a wine journalist) blind-tasted the preselected wines and awarded the “World’s Best Gamay 2022” trophy. And the winner is… Brouilly - Pierreux 2020 from the Domaine Nicolas Boudeau.
This year, 110 gold and 135 silver medals were awarded, for a total of 245.
Special mention for the best Swiss wine went to: Geneva AOC, the Winery & Domaine Les Perrières, La Chênaie 2020, 100% gamay.
Domaine Nicolas Boudeau
Born in the Charente wine region, Nicolas Boudeau fell in love with the Beaujolais vineyards over twenty years ago. After substantial experience with wine estates such as Château des Jacques, Château de Bellevue and Château du Moulin-à-Vent, Nicolas Boudeau settled in Odenas in 2007 and acquired a little over 3 hectares in the Brouilly appellation.
He now owns about ten hectares of vineyards in the Brouilly AOC, 1.5 hectares in the Côte de Brouilly AOC and approximately 2 hectares in the Beaujolais Villages AOC.
Eager to produce wines expressing all the subtlety of their terroirs, since 2018 Nicolas Boudeau has sought to highlight the geological wealth of the various localities (known as lieux-dits, in French) in each of the appellations that he cultivates.
Boudeau embodies the gentle force of a winemaker who respects the territory, the land, nature and people.
He added: ”This trophy is great recognition for the efforts made to promote the lieux-dits that inspire me. I’m also delighted to get this prestigious award, delighted for the Terre des Brouilly association and for the Beaujolais region in general, which continues to demonstrate it definitely belongs to the category of ‘grands vins’.”
Brouilly lieu-dit Pierreux, 2020
The plot, which faces east, is mainly composed of very deep pink granite as well as siliceous volcanic rock. The 60-year old vines, pruned Gobelet-style, thrive on warm, well-draining soils. The 2020 vintage enjoyed outstanding weather.
The grapes were 50% de-stemmed before gentle pressing. Fermentation and maceration took place in vats for 16 days with temperature control below 30°C. Double pumping-over on a daily basis as well as punching down and racking were done regularly to bring out the best of the terroir. The wine was aged in concrete vats for 9 months.
Ex-cellar price incl. tax/cuvée: €20
Caroline Daeschler, sommelier, a member of the 2nd jury that awarded the prize, said: “Right from the start, it’s a full, slightly spicy wine with complexity. It’s very fruity and already very elegant, complex and generous, just based on the nose. On the palate, it is a well-crafted wine that reveals itself with silky tannins. It has very nice length, indicating that the wine will be able to keep developing and adding still other little aspects. It has future potential. It is a wine for keeping. It has a Brouilly profile, the way we like them, in other words, it’s generous and festive, cheerful and vibrant. A classic of the varietal with a hint of soul thrown into the bargain.”
This trophy illustrates the huge potential of the Gamay varietal and the wide range of methods used for apprehending it. Brouilly - Pierreux 2020 from the Domaine Nicolas Boudeau is a perfect example. This award reinforces the approach to promote Beaujolais wines, reflected in particular by highlighting the Beaujolais lieux-dits. These cuvées from the lieux-dits are wines that tell the story of a terroir, reveal it and enhance it.