2009 Villa Ponciago Fleurie La Réserve

Representing a blend originating in some 35 choice acres from across this estate’s large holdings, Villa Ponciago’s 2009 Fleurie La Reserve is strikingly scented with lightly-cooked dark cherry and blackberry; toasted nuts; charred, grilled red meat. An invigoratingly tart edge to the concentrated berry fruit offers ideal counterpoint to the vivid sense of roasted meat pan drippings on this cuvee’s dense, finely tannic palate. Here is one of those relatively rare instances where I am willing to concede that the element of wood really does serve to “frame” the fruit. The overall effect if impressive though hardly exuberantly fruity, a wine of serious savor and formidable grip, though thankfully persistent juiciness, too. That said, some alluring peony-like perfume added charm as this opened to the air. I would anticipate this meriting at least 3-4 years of attention, although, of course, no track record exists yet for this or any other Villa Ponciago bottling. The Henriot family acquired the Chateau de Poncie with its 120 vineyard acres (encompassing 214 parcels!) in 2008, but the first commercial releases came last year from the 2009 vintage, and labeled with an allusion to the alleged name of this property in late Roman times (though it began its known life as a wine estate when the Abbey of Cluny was granted it in 949). Given the evolution of Bouchard Pere et Fils and William Fevre under Henriot ownership – not to mention the fact that this estate incorporates some of the traditionally highest-rated vineyard sites in Beaujolais – great expectations will be riding on these wines, and the early results are already impressive. The new team – led by Thomas Henriot and cellarmaster Frederic Weber – are vinifying in an essentially Burgundian fashion, aging the wines in older barriques and a few new demi-muids. Since – due to my own negligence – I did not visit these cellars, I missed out on tasting one of the 2010s that had not yet been bottled as of this summer. Importer: Henriot, Inc, New York, NY; tel. (212) 605-6706

Bright, medium purple crimson. Peppery, slightly but attractively reductive. Savoury dark fruit. A little stern but also elegant and finely shaped. (JH)

Now that the Ch de Poncié belongs to Henriot, it has been renamed Villa Ponciago – not a name that works well in the UK where the word poncey has negative connotations. Dark crimson. But it's firm and has good attack on the nose. Very confident winemaking. Attractively dry on the finish. This is Fleurie made for the long term. Well done! Real sap and structure to this wine. (JR)