The foursquare, structured 2002 Morgon Domaine de Bellevue offers cassis aromas and a pure, dark fruit-laced character. Bottled immediately prior to being tasted, its intense core of fruit appeared compressed by bottle-shock. Drink it over the next 4 years. Importer: William Deutsch and Sons, White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463; and Winesellers, Ltd., Skokie, IL; tel. (847) 679-0121

Interestingly, the medium to dark ruby/purple-colored 2001 Morgon Domaine Bellevue has a nose reminiscent of a Cote de Beaune Burgundy spiced with some oak, yet it was vinified without the use of wood. Its light to medium-bodied character reveals lovely cherry fruit whose flavors linger throughout its appealing finish. Anticipated maturity: 2003-2006. Importers: William Deutsch and Sons, White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463; and Winesellers, Ltd., Skokie, IL; tel. (847) 679-0121

This dark-colored wine has a perfumed, floral, and red berry-imbued nose. It is expansive, medium-bodied, well-structured, velvety-textured, and packed with flashy cherries and hints of kirsch. It should be at its best between 1999 and 2003.Georges Duboeuf loves the 1997 vintage in Beaujolais ("the wine is fat, round, and filled with tender fruit and elegance"). An extremely hot August was followed by a September of warm days and cool nights ("it was the finest September of my career") fashioning a fruit driven wine that has relatively low acidity levels - particularly when compared to the 1996s. Duboeuf believes, and I agree, that the 1997 is a wine that will be at its best early.In the past, the wine press has written that Duboeuf's use of an artificial yeast (71B) accounted for his signature style. In a conversation with him this year, I learned that he abandoned that strain of yeast after the 1990 vintage. Presently, a variety of yeasts, both indigenous and artificial, are used for fermentation. To Duboeuf, the key factor in the vinification of Beaujolais is temperature control, not yeasts.The high temperatures and the grapes' low acidity levels at harvest in 1997 demanded, in Duboeuf's opinion, extremely close attention. Rot, mildew and oidium were not problems (he says none existed), but warm, low acid environments encourage the unwarranted proliferation of bacteria, so Duboeuf had the grapes and musts cooled as soon as possible. To prevent the potential onset of ethyl acetate, he had eight filtration teams going from estate to estate with the necessary equipment to filter the wines as soon as malos were completed (the wines were later fined and filtered again prior to bottling).Duboeuf informed me that the world-wide rise in wine prices did not go unnoticed by vignerons in Beaujolais. Consumers should brace themselves for a 25-30% increase with the 1998 vintage.Importers William Deutsch and Sons, Ltd., Armonk, NY; tel (914) 273-1221; fax (914) 273-1291, and Winesellers Ltd., Skokie, IL; tel (847) 679-0121; fax (847) 679-2017. (Reviewed by P. A. Rovani)

A sexy, opulently-textured, richly fruity wine reminiscent of a lush Pinot Noir; rich, with good acidity, sweetness (from lower yields), and very ripe fruit; hints of vanillin suggests part of this cuvee was aged in new oak; drink it over the next 2-3 yearsImported by William Deutsch, Armonk, NY; Tel. (914) 273-1221; fax (914) 273-1291

The fine 1994 Morgan Domaine Bellevue is more elegant and lighter-bodied, with less of the flashy, ostentatious style of the Jean Descombes. It reveals plenty of sweet fruit, structure, and purity. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.