BEAUJOLAIS/CRU

When Nicole Chanrion began her career in the 1970s, convention relegated women to the enology labs and kept them out of the cellars even her mother thought winemaking was man’s work but she would not be deterred from her dream of becoming a vigneronne. The Côte-de-Brouilly appellation sits on the hillsides of Mont Brouilly, a prehistoric volcano that left blue schist stones and volcanic rock along its slopes. These stones yield structured wines with pronounced minerality and great aging potential. After her formal training at the viticultural school in Beaune Nicole had a brief internship in the Napa Valley, where she learned another approach to winemaking but, happily for us, gained a deeper appreciation of the traditional winemaking techniques of the Beaujolais: hand harvesting, whole cluster fermentation, aging the wines in large oak foudres for at least nine months, and bottling unfiltered. The resulting wines are powerful, with loads of pure fruit character and floral aromas.

BURGHOUND 91 POINTS - "A ripe and overtly peppery mix of red and dark fruit, cut with plenty of earth character. This can also be found on the beautifully rich, seductive and opulent flavors that culminate in a lingering and slightly warm finish, where a hint of bitter cherry pit arises. This should drink well young, yet reward mid-term cellaring as well."

The 2017 Chateau Des Tours Beaujolais should be at or near the top of your list of wines to serve during the holidays. This wine from Brouilly benefits from the nearly perfect growing season of warm sunny days and cool nights. The excellent conditions of the vintage show in the perfectly ripened fruit flavors of this wine and its generous texture with soft, supple tannins.

Beaujolais is located just south of Burgundy and its vineyards are classified according to quality. Chateau Des Tours is located in Brouilly, which is one of the 10 Cru’s considered to be the crème de la crème of the winegrowing region and recognized for their exceptional quality of their wines. At their best, the Cru’s of Beaujolais rival the drinkability of village-level Burgundy and offer outstanding value. Chateau Des Tours is located at the foot of Mount Brouilly and its 40 year-old vineyards are situated in a natural amphitheater around the Château. The vines are planted in sandy soils made of decomposed granite over bedrock.

Chateau Des Tours has crafted a wine which is generously textured yet bright. This pleasing Beaujolais is ready to drink now, yet capable of aging for several years if desired. Des Tours shows how good Cru Beaujolais can be at a price that is an outstanding value.

Medium ruby in color with brilliant reflections. The bouquet is dominated by violets with red and black fruit aromas along with a touch of spiciness. The palate is rich and round and medium-bodied. The tannins are soft and supple, framing fruit flavors which are mouth-watering. Fresh-picked black cherries, dark raspberries, plum and warm spices are ripe and juicy. Drink now through 2021.

We have long been fans of Chateau Thivin which is a benchmark domaine of the Côte de Brouilly. Thivin consistently produces wines which are utterly delicious and showcase amazing purity of fruit without being heavy.

A visit to this domaine was one of the highlights of our trip to Beaujolais last year. The bucolic scenery and warm hospitality of Claude and his wife made this a memorable stop. The wines perfectly complemented the cheese, charcuterie and pate which were served on a sunny afternoon overlooking the vineyards.

Château Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly and was built in the fifteenth century on an ancient volcano which juts out steeply into the valley below. It is one of the historic estates of Beaujolais and consistently produces exceptional examples from the Cru of Côte de Brouilly. Thivin's parcels are predominantly south-facing and are planted entirely with Gamay vines that average 50 years of age. Traditional whole-cluster fermentation maintains the characteristic fruity qualities of Gamay, which is transferred to large neutral oak barrels for aging before bottling.

In 1976, Richard Olney took Kermit Lynch to visit Chateau Thivin on their first wine trip together. It was Olney's top recommendation in the whole of the Beaujolais region. Of course, Kermit is known for his keen eye for quality and soon a relationship was formed and the wines were imported into the U.S. Today, Claude, his wife Evelyne, and their son Claude-Edouard continue the tradition as staunch and proud defenders of the terroir of Brouilly.

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "The 2017 Brouilly Reverdon bursts from the glass with lovely aromas of blackberries, cassis, plums and potpourri. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, bright and juicy, with sweeter fruit than the 2016 rendition but a shared sense of crunchiness and vivacity. It was only bottled three weeks before I tasted it, but it was already showing very well."

We have long been fans of Chateau Thivin which is a benchmark domaine of the Côte de Brouilly. Thivin consistently produces wines which are utterly delicious and showcase amazing purity of fruit without being heavy.

A visit to this domaine was one of the highlights of our trip to Beaujolais last year. The bucolic scenery and warm hospitality of Claude and his wife made this a memorable stop. The wines perfectly complemented the cheese, charcuterie and pate which were served on a sunny afternoon overlooking the vineyards.

Château Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly and was built in the fifteenth century on an ancient volcano which juts out steeply into the valley below. It is one of the historic estates of Beaujolais and consistently produces exceptional examples from the Cru of Côte de Brouilly. Thivin's parcels are predominantly south-facing and are planted entirely with Gamay vines that average 50 years of age. Traditional whole-cluster fermentation maintains the characteristic fruity qualities of Gamay, which is transferred to large neutral oak barrels for aging before bottling.

In 1976, Richard Olney took Kermit Lynch to visit Chateau Thivin on their first wine trip together. It was Olney's top recommendation in the whole of the Beaujolais region. Of course, Kermit is known for his keen eye for quality and soon a relationship was formed and the wines were imported into the U.S. Today, Claude, his wife Evelyne, and their son Claude-Edouard continue the tradition as staunch and proud defenders of the terroir of Brouilly.

WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2017 Côte de Brouilly is superb, unfurling in the glass with aromas of ripe cassis, candied violets and plums. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated, structured around fine-grained but chewy tannins and tangy balancing acids, with considerable depth and substance at the core. The wine is still quite primary and will need some time to come together, but it's an excellent rendition of this storied cuvée that resembles the 2011 vintage."

WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "The 2017 Chiroubles offers up a pretty bouquet of raspberries, red cherries, plums and dark chocolate, lent lift by pretty floral top notes. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and succulent, with a layered core of fruit, fine tannins and mouthwatering acids. It hails from a steep hillside site and is matured in stainless steel."

WINE ADVOCATE 92+ POINTS - "From a south-facing site near Château Thivin, the 2017 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Melanie exhibits a deep bouquet of blackberry, wild berries, grilled meat, dark chocolate and licorice. On the palate, it's full-bodied, rich and ample, with a juicy core of fruit, ripe but chewy structuring tannins in abundance and a gourmand, layered profile."

WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "Rich aromas of raspberries and cherries introduce the 2017 Morgon Bellevue, a full-bodied, velvety but reserved wine with a deep, layered mid-palate, superb concentration and juicy acids. After the expressive Chiroubles and Côte de Brouilly, the Bellevue is a little more closed after its recent bottling, but it will be superb in the fullness of time."

Viticulture: No herbacides or pesticides, organically farmed. Vinification: Traditional vinification without sulfur and with natural yeast at very low temperatures. Carbonic maceration and little or no filtering.

WINERY NOTES

Average age of the vines: 50 years

Welcome to the Perrachon domain. We pursue the work of our ancestors producing wines the traditional way. Julienas history already mentionned the PERRACHON name in 1601. The Perrachon family acquired the domain of la Bottière, in Juliénas, in 1877. Then came the Domaine des Perelles on the Romanèche-Thorins territory, at the feet of the Moulin-à-Vent hills. The Domaine des Mouilles, now the heart of our operations, was acquired in 1989. It is the heart of the Julienas appellation, benefiting from the best exposure and the best soils. Recently, we added smaller parcels in Chénas, Fleurie, and Saint Amour.

The Moulin à Vent is often called the "Seigneur des Beaujolais" (lord of Beaujolais). Our Moulin à Vent is a robust wine, with aromas reminiscent of southern wines and very ripened fruits.

This absolute bargain comes from 50+ year old vines! It's round and fruity on the palate, with wonderful lightness classic to Beaujolais. Serve this wine slightly chilled alongside vegetables, cheeses, or light meat dishes.

Coming from a small vineyard of one acre located in Les Bruyeres near the Cru Fleure in Beaujolais. Handpicked chardonnay, fermented and ged in stainless steel vats. Very fresh and clean and well-balanced to pair with cheese, salad or fish.

In 2011, Yohan LARDY came back to his native village of Fleurie after spending almost one year in Chile working for an estate during harvest and winemaking. Yohan is 27 year old, he obtained a BTS Viti-Oeno in Macon-Davaye, he is completely passionate by winemaking. In 2011, he decided to buy 2 hectares of vines in Moulin à Vent, the lieu-dit "Les Michelons", one of the best terroir of the appellation, on the top of the hill, very steep with a southern exposure. One part of the vines were planted in 1911 and the other part in 1950. 2012 is his first vintage.

This well-balanced wine has typical aromas of violet, roses with an emphasis on fruit, very spicy (cinnamon) and floral notes. The mouth is full, well rounded, displaying berries and cherries notes, roses, a long finish with soft tannins. Pair with grille red meat, lamb legs, games.

In the hamlet of Le Breuil, deep in the southern Beaujolais and perched above a narrow creek, the Domaine Dupeuble has been running almost continuously since 1512. This wine, imported by Kermit Lynch, is known as "Coteau Belle-Vue" in Europe.

While the new release of its lighter and fruitier sibling, Beaujolais Nouveau, will make it to our shores the third Thursday in November, this Beaujolais from Dupeuble is more of a serious red wine that will delight throughout the holiday season. The nose is rife with forward red fruits: cherry, raspberry, strawberry, plum and a touch of cranberry. The fruits are the focus upon tasting, with the red berries mixed in with good acidity and harmonious balance. Raspberry and cherry lambic come to mind. The forward fruits and easy acidity will pair well with rich holiday meals and help cut through some of the lush sauces and gravies.

Jean-Louis Dutraive represents the fifth generation of Domaine de la Grand’Cour, joining his father at the estate in 1977. The family’s total holdings comprise 10.6 hectares, farmed all organically. Fruit for the 2017 ‘Les Deduits’ comes from old vine plots, vinified in concrete and aged in oak for six months. Dark fruited and fresh, full bright, thirst-quenching acidity and silky tannins; serve slightly chilled with pizza, pasta, or tacos.

ORGANIC -Semi-carbonic maceration with no added sulfer and natural yeast. Vinification occurs in concrete before aging in a combination of stainless steel, neutral Burgundy barrels and demi-muid for 6 months. Wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2 added. Fruit for the 2017 Chiroubles comes from 70 year old parcels, vinified semi-carbonically. Concentrated and balanced, full of lively dark fruit and age-worthy potential.

Breton’s domaine is comprised of three hectares (only 7.2 acres), eighty percent of which lies in the appellation of Morgon, around the village of Villié-Morgon. The vines range in age from 8 to 80 years, with the 80-year-old vines dedicated to the “Vieilles Vignes” cuvée. Guy’s property is located in the microclimates “Saint-Joseph” and “Grand Cras,” where the naturally low pH of the soil creates favorable conditions for Breton’s sulfur-free vinification.

A ‘Gang Of Four’ member, the term widely known in the world of Kermit Lynch Imports, Jean Foillard followed the traditional mindset and practices of Jules Chauvet. Alongside Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy Breton these four vignerons focus on older vines, abstain from herbicides and pesticides, harvest late, sort rigorously to remove damaged grapes from the bunches, add minimal sulfur (or none at all) and refrain from both chaptalization and filtration. These are natural wines made with knowledge and experienced decision-making.

The dark ruby robe, gorgeously perfumed fruit, and silky long finish of this intoxicating cru are a force that can't be reckoned with. Discover it for yourself. ORGANIC

Never using synthetic herbicides or pesticides, harvesting late, rigorously sorting to remove all but the healthiest grapes, adding minimal doses of sulfur dioxide or none at all, and refusing both chaptalization and filtration. The end result allows Morgon to express itself naturally, as it should be without the bubblegum and banana aromas of so many other Beaujolais available today. Its rustic structure, spicy notes, and mineral-laden backbone are what real Morgon is all about.
This estate comprises nearly fourteen hectares. Foillard’s Morgons are deep, structured, and complex, with a velvety lushness that makes them irresistible when young despite their aging potential. Jean raises his wines in older barrels sourced from top estates in Burgundy, a logical decision for someone crafting Gamay in a Burgundian style. It is the passion and dedication of vignerons like this that have brought pride back to the crus of the Beaujolais.
MADE FROM 80 YEAR OLD VINES!

The Famille Dutraive négociant business was created by Jean-Louis himself, after losing 90% of his crop to frost in 2016. The family sources only organically farmed fruit from local growers, vinifying carbonically with native yeast. The 2017 ‘Clos du Chapitre’ comes from a single parcel, vinified in concrete and aged in steel/neutral oak for six months; energetic and bright, full of fresh red-fruit flavors and soil-driven undertones.