From a parcel adjacent to the core vineyard of Chateau Thivin that he acquired from his in-laws, Bouland’s barrel-matured 2009 Cote de Brouilly Cuvee Melanie features an abundance of appellation-typical blueberry fruit (here the tiny Maine variety) seemingly mingled with crushed stone. Resin, cocoa powder, and maple syrup add to the soothing, mouth-coating allure on display in a rich yet satisfyingly bright performance – less exuberant but more serious than the corresponding Chiroubles – that will doubtless be worth revisiting for at least the next 3-4 years. It’s clear by now that Daniel Bouland is one of Beaujolais’s major as well as most consistent talents, and it is encouraging to be witnessing the expansion of his domaine (now ten hectares). Most of Bouland’s vines are old, and his young parcels have been planted with selections massales from old vineyards. All of the 2009 cuvees – based on fruit not harvested before late in the first week in September and displaying deep, healthy color – came in at just over 14% alcohol, but none showed ill-effects. A couple of lots of Morgon were so late to go through malo that they were still gaseous when I visited in April, but Bouland’s four cuvees destined for the U.S. had just been bottled, from which they also appeared not to have suffered.Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800