Pierre-Marie Chermette Beaujolais 'Les Griottes' 2019

This delicious Beaujolais cherrybomb is drawn from 20- to 40-year-old vines grown on dark, granite soils around the Chermette homestead in Saint-Vérand (southern Beaujolais). The winemaking here has remained unchanged for decades, with traditional whole-bunch, semi-carbonic ferment in concrete tanks and then maturation in tank and ancient oak casks still the order of the day. As opposed to his age worthy Crus from Moulin-a-Vent, Fleurie, et al, Chermette’s aim here is to produce something light-bodied and cherry-fruited with reach-for-another-glass charm—something the juicy-crunchy 2018 nails with ease. It’s a punchy and buoyant red, from one of the regions great addresses, that goes down dangerously easily.