I went downstairs to get a bottle of wine to go with dinner (pork chops with figs and quinoa feta cheese salad). I was thinking of a German Spätburgunder. But my three year old son pointed at a bottle with a wax seal and said: "This is a good one."
So up we went with a bottle of Georges Descombes 2007 Morgon. And it turns out that you don't have to study at the WSET to pick a good bottle of wine.
This time I managed the wax seal quite well and poured a wine with a nice ruby color into my glass. The aroma was very fruity, but not the happy-happy strawberry and cherry flavor we would expect from a Beaujolais. Quite far from it. I smelled blackberries, dark cherries and marzipan. Very attractive and, yes, seductive.
There is little tannin in this Beaujolais made from old vines, yet it does have a firm grip and anchors its flavors of cherry and blood orange to last for a fairly long length. The alcohol is medium and well balanced with the dark fruit. A strong backbone has matured this Beaujolais beautifully so far and should further enhance its complexity over the next 3-4 years.