2016 Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Côte de Brouilly (1/5/2020)
As usual, this lives up to what I think of as its benchmark status, with wonderful dark berry fruit, fabulous acidity and balance, just enough background tannic structure, quintessential cru. There is so much intensity and depth to this wine, it’s hard to think of anything that can measure up at this price point, from anywhere in the world. (93 pts.)
Speaking my language. IMHO, Thivin is the best QPR on the planet. Arguably one of the most consistent as well. I cannot recall a vintage that I have not liked, obviously some more than others. Recently, Thivin has been slaying every vintage. I have bought every vintage since 2007. And over the years some older ones.
I didn’t like the 2012 of this wine really much at all, but b/c of this board I gave the 2015 a chance… which I loved. I bet I would feel the same way about the 2016.
Describe how you see these evolve over time, if you would. I’ve greatly enjoyed them young, but also have buried some bottles in the cellar. I’m not really sure what range of ages to think of for those ones.
Thanks!
Chris -
You might be surprised that I slurp most of these down. Like Kabinett, I like my Beaujolais quite youthful, except for Roilette, which generally requires 8-10+ years to fully shine. I have not had Thivin with more than 8 years on it, and it definitely becomes a more interesting wine but I cannot posit that it is necessarily a better wine for my palate.
I’ve stocked some away for the long haul as well, including from the regarded 2009 vintage.
Funny, I almost pulled an 09 Roilette tonight and went for a Halcon Syrah.
Alan, great note! If you love this, you NEED to grab a bottle of the 2016 Thivin Cuvée Zaccharie, which is somehow even more amazing.
The 2017 Zaccharie is stunning
Thanks, I have it! But haven’t opened one yet. Some notes describe the oak on that cuvee is a bit more obvious, so I’ve thought to let them sit a little longer. I did just find a 13 Zaccharie, might try that soon.
Wow, really?? I can’t say I’ve ever noticed oak in any cuvée from Thivin, or any vintage…
That said, I haven’t opened a bottle of the 2016 in at least a year, might have to dig one out and check in on it. I will say the 2015 is a bit surly right now, had one a couple weeks ago that took a month of Sundays to open up.
I did not pick up an imbalance on the 2017 and do not recall an overt oak presence.
I have an old wine catalog I wrote around 1978. We were selling '77 Thivin for $5.79. It is still one of the great wine bargains. At that time all the wines were aged in large chestnut casks.
I haven t visited since 1979 so who knows what they are doing now.
To be clear, that’s not my comment, just repeating what I’ve read in a number of critical reviews of the cuvée. I have yet to open one of mine, probably should rectify that soon.
Just picked up some of the 2018, any thoughts on that vintage?
The Zaccharie does indeed see a small percentage of new wood, which imparts of bit of vanillin that I don’t like. I think it’s as much the choice of barrels as anything. And it tends to stay there with time: the 2013, mentioned here, is fully mature and still showing quite a bit of raw cocoa / vanillin from the barrels (I had it at a restaurant in the Beaujolais about 18 months ago). Of course, I am likely a bit more sensitized to oak derivatives than you guys, who do not have to taste such an unhealthily large number of young wines as I do, so maybe I am being a bit hyper-critical.
I actually see this at my local shop all the time and never have thought to pick some up. I will pick this up next time I go to grab some Foillard or Lapierre.