Jean-Claude Lapalu
2022 Jean-Claude Lapalu Tentation
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$68.00
Description
WINEMAKER: Jean-Claude Lapalu
REGION: Beaujolais, FR
VARIETY: Syrah
VITICULTURE: Organic
Tentation is an absolutely vivacious Vin de France, smelling and tasting unmistakably of moreish sour cherries underscored by savoury dimension. 100% Syrah from Beaujolais-Villages, it's what Jean-Claude calls "a wine for standing up"—light-bodied, vibrant and eminently drinkable.
Where do we begin with the story of Jean-Claude Lapalu? To say he is one of the most respected and revered vignerons in France is no exaggeration. A leader of the natural wine world as we know it and a poster child of the Paris wine scene, he chronologically wedges the gap between the new generation of Beaujolais growers who are now emerging and the generation of his peers (Foillard, Lapierre, Breton, Dutraive, Metras, Descombes). Before meeting and becoming friends with the aforementioned peers, Jean-Claude sought inspiration from producers further south, in the likes of Richaud, Gramenon and Henri Milan. He describes tasting a 1996 Clos Milan by Henri Milan as an epiphany moment for the way in which he wanted to experiment and question the status quo with his own wines.
Jean-Claude is the beneficiary of some extremely old vines, ranging from 50-100+ years of age, farmed organically and with extreme care. All grapes are hand harvested and refrigerated for 24 hours before fermentation in tank. Vinification varies between cuvees with regards to carbonic maceration however a 24 hour pressing is the norm for all, conducted by a 19 th century vertical press. Elevage occurs in either glass-lined concrete tanks, used Barrique or tonneau. Sulfur is sometimes deployed in small doses just at bottling however is usually omitted. It should be noted that he takes a pragmatic approach to this issue.
When tasting at the winery, Jean-Claude filed his wines into two categories. Wines for ‘standing up’ and for ‘sitting down’ referring to the gregarious or serious nature of what’s in the glass. Ergonomics aside, beyond argument is that these are energetic, lively, supple and utterly delicious wines that champion elegance over extraction and tannin and sheer drinking pleasure over all things else.
2022 Jean-Claude Lapalu Tentation
$68.00
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