Domaine Marcel Joubert Brouilly Gres Roses / 2023 / 750mL

The Domaine Marcel Joubert Gamay 2023 is a bright, juicy red from Beaujolais in France, built on crunchy fruit and a light touch rather than power. It is the sort of Gamay that rewards a slight chill and a big glass poured generously.

Aromas lead with raspberry, red cherry and a lick of violet, with a faint peppery edge and something faintly earthy sitting underneath. There is a hint of banana-skin lift that is very much part of the Beaujolais charm. The palate is light to medium bodied, with soft tannins and a sappy line of acidity that keeps everything moving. Fruit carries through the middle without turning sweet, and the finish is dry, savoury and clean, leaving you reaching for the next mouthful rather than pausing to think about it.

Roast chicken, charcuterie, a mushroom tart or a pork and fennel sausage all work well. It also handles the awkward middle ground of a warm evening barbecue, where a heavier red would sit badly — twenty minutes in the fridge first and it comes alive. Drink the 2023 now and over the next three to four years, while the fruit is still forward and the aromatics are at their most floral.