We are delighted to introduce the beautiful Beaujolais from Les Vins du Penlois. Maxence Besson and his wife Corrine are the third generation owners of this superb winery located near Lancié in the northern part of Beaujolais between  Morgon and Fleurie. The 25 hectares of beautifully tended vines spread over terroirs in Lancié, Juliénas, Morgon and Chenas allow the Bessons to produce an exciting array of very different wines. The find out all about the Bessons, their winery and Beaujolais, please refer to the attached edition of Selections or visit their website www.domaine-du-penlois.com.

We are featuring four wines from Les Vins du Penlois: the festive 2007 Beaujolais-Lancié; the seductive 2006 Beaujolais Villages Cuvée Prestige; the floral 2006 Juliénas, and; the amazing 2007 Moulin-À-Vent. These wines come in 12-bottle cases and Maxence has created a special Beaujolais sampler case for our wine club – four bottles each of the Beaujolais Lancié, Beaujolais-Villages Cuvée Prestige and the Moulin-à-Vent. We will be taking our order for these wines to the LCBO on Friday, August 1^st.

2007 Beaujolais-Lancié – (13.0% Alc./Vol.)                                  $19/btl.; $228/case of 12
All of the Penlois wines are harvested by hand and all are made from Gamay Noir (à Jus Blanc). The grapes for the Beaujolais-Lancié (Appellation Beaujolais-Villages Contrôlée) come from the granite slopes bordering the Crus of Morgon, Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent. The result is a very high quality wine at a very reasonable price. It is a beautiful clear cherry red colour with vibrant aromas of red fruit dominated by black currents and strawberries. This very convivial wine is enjoyable right through a simple meal or at any time for a treat with friends. It should be served chilled (12° - 13°C) and can be laid down for three to six years (although it tastes great right now). Order some of this festive, well-priced little beauty now.

2006  Beaujolais-Villages Cuvée Prestige – (13.0%) Alc./Vol.)                   $22/btl.; $264/case of 12
The vines for this very serious, seductive wine are over fifty years old and the yield is quite low. The grapes, in full bunches go through a long fermentation process with the cap being punched down regularly. It is a deep red colour with floral and fruity aromas. It is a very feminine, elegant wine, but surprisingly powerful, rich and full-bodied. It comes from the Besson’s best vat and can easily rival a great Cru. It should be served slightly chilled (14°C) and will go wonderfully with red meats, stews, game and cheese. I love it with Coq au vin. This is a really terrific Beaujolais that will forever change your impression of Beaujolais (for the better, of course). It is most tasty now and will store happily for up to ten years. Order some of this big, delicious Beaujolais now.

2006 Juliénas – (13.5% Alc./Vol.)                                                                $24/btl.; $288/case of 12
This Cru is based around the village named after Julius Caesar. The wines made from this area are noted for their richness and spicy with aromas reminiscent of peonies. In contrast to the claims of Régnié, Juliénas growers believe that this area was the site of the first vineyards planted in Beaujolais by the Romans during this conquest of Gaul. The Juliénas from Penlois comes from vines ranging from thirty to sixty years of age situated on beds of clay. It is a ruby red colour and indeed has the floral aroma of peonies. In the mouth it is full, elegant and vibrant. It is drinking beautifully right now but will age for up to ten years. Like most Beaujolais Cru, it should be served chilled (13°C) and goes well with red meat, stews or game. Latch on to some of this splendid wine now.  

2007 Moulin-à-Vent – (13.0% Alc./Vol.)                                                        $25/btl.; $300/case of 12
This region produces some of the longest lasting examples of Beaujolais wine. The region is noted for the high level of manganese that is in the soil, which can be toxic to grape vines in high levels. The level of toxicity in Moulin-à-Vent does not kill the vine but is enough to cause chlorosis and alter the vine's metabolism to severely reduce yields. The resulting wine from Moulin-à-Vent are the most full bodied and powerful examples in Beaujolais. The Moulin-à-Vent from Penlois comes from forty to eighty year old vines planted on pink granite soil rich in magnesium. The robe is a deep purple and the bouquet is full of ripe fruit. This is a full-bodied wine that will benefit from aging for a few years after which it takes on the characteristics of a good Burgundy. It too should be served chilled (14°C) and will go wonderfully with meats in rich sauces and game. It will age for ten years or more. Get your classic Beaujolais now.

Maxence’s Beaujolais Sampler Case – (13.0% Alc./Vol.)                              $22/btl.; $264/case of 12
Would you like to try more than one of the delicious wines from Les Vins du Penlois but not by the individual case? Maxence has created a sampler case of four bottles of each of the 2007 Beaujolais-Lancié, 2006 Beaujolais-Villages Cuvée Prestige and 2007 Moulin-à-Vent specially for Arthur’s Cellar Wine Club. Acquire your array of wonderful Beaujolais now.

Please note that our prices include one dollar per bottle handling fee.

Please pass this note on to anyone you know who might be interested in some delightful Beaujolais.

Many thanks and cheers,

Jim and Hélène

jaswalker@arthursellers.com
www.arthursellers.com