The Duboeuf 2009 Chiroubles features generous aromas and juicy persistence of ripe strawberry, cassis, and blackberry, with a liqueur-like overtone, and finishes with hints of sage, cassis leaf and berry seeds supplying some sense of contrast, albeit slightly reductive, and with considerable refreshment, lift, and no sense of superficial sweetness. This fine value will almost certainly improve once it puts a few months between itself and its recent bottling. The vast and on the whole stylistically consistent range of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais bottlings – a majority issuing from individual domaines – represents a reliable source of value, and this has seldom been more true (nor has the range – most, but not all of which, I tasted – been more vast) than from 2009, which it is clear Duboeuf considers as fine a vintage as he has witnessed – although he notes, “It was very difficult this year to choose the date of bottling,” and many wines were still in tank awaiting that decision when I tasted in April. I continue to find as a general rule that Duboeuf’s wines are best drunk within two years of bottling, so in my notes I have made reference to aging potential only for any wines that I expect might be exceptions to that rule of thumb. (Wines identified solely by their appellation are so-called “Selections Georges Duboeuf” cuvees, labeled with his company’s signature flower labels. There are Regnie and Chenas selection bottlings that I did not taste, the latter being the sole bottling of its appellation this vintage, due to the ravages of hail.)Importer: William Deutsch & Son Ltd., White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463

On the austere side, as befits a wine from the highest vineyards in Beaujolais, this is also balanced and elegant. It shows black berry fruits, a firm edge of tannins as well as delicious juicy flavors. ——R.V.(12/31/2010)—— 88