Perched between Morgon and Fleurie at around 400 metres above sea level, the vineyards of Chiroubles are the highest in Beaujolais. The vines sit on the upper slopes and in general, produce a Beaujolais that can be, to quote Gerald Asher, all “…lacy texture and sleek charm.” Bouland’s Chiroubles has a bit more stuffing than that. It comes from a 0.65-hectare parcel of 35- to 45-year-old vines on the steep, ridged incline of Chatenay, which has the typical granite and sandstone soils of the Cru. Protected by a nearby forest, it’s a warm, north-facing site.
Vinified in fibreglass this year and bottled under a new moon, it’s a super vibrant, lip-smacking Chiroubles, sinuous and crunchy—‘gouleyant’ to quote Bouland—without coming across as flippant.