Maison Paul Janin et Fils - Chénas Les Blémonts 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

It has gained body since 2017. A more refined style. A fine wine.

About the estate:

Since 1937, the Paul Janin et Fils estate has been producing Moulin-à-Vent and red and white Beaujolais-Villages wines. Eric Janin, the current owner, represents the fourth generation. He inherited a series of investments that are the foundation of the estate’s success today. In 1937, his grandfather purchased the famous vineyard known as Le Tremblay, and in 1967, his father acquired what is now the estate’s flagship cuvée: the century-old vines of Les Greneriers. Éric Janin is also the father of young Perrine, who is studying oenology and is in turn pursuing the investments necessary to ensure the estate’s long-term viability. This involves, in particular, massal selections to gradually renew his stock of old vines. Difficult years have piled up for the estate, and Éric Janin has not escaped the violence of the hailstorms that have devastated the vineyard over the past three years. To preserve what has built the estate’s reputation, wines purchased from other producers now round out the lineup. More classic in style, these wines are well-crafted. As for the estate’s star wines, they suffer from limited production but do not disappoint in terms of quality. In 2018, the Vignes-du-Tremblay and Greneriers are magnificent successes.

Bourgogne Aujourd'hui

About the wine:

The harsh weather conditions of recent years (hail, frost) have led Eric Janin to expand his lineup, while maintaining the same high standards. A prime example is this colorful, aromatic Chénas (with notes of violets and black cherries), which is rich, indulgent, velvety, and well-balanced.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

The 2018 Chénas Les Blémonts is bursting with enticing aromas of rose petals, raspberries, cherries, and spices. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, rich and enveloping, with succulent acidity and youthful, velvety tannins, this is a classic wine with character that will benefit from a year or two of bottle aging.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

The location and age of the vines aren’t everything. It also takes the farmer’s intuition and analytical finesse of someone like Éric Janin to produce great Gamays—concentrated yet fresh. Since his first harvest in 1983, he has maintained a winemaking style that showcases vineyards primarily located within the Moulin-à-Vent appellation. Some vines, such as Les Greneriers, have lived through both world wars. In 2017, Éric Janin launched a wine trading business with partner winemakers. Chénas, Brouilly, and Beaujolais-Villages thus round out his portfolio.

James Suckling

Andreas Larsson