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.

This top class wine has a nose dominated by blackberries and cherries and a silky smooth palate with fine tannins combining. Classic Morgon, showing the fruit of Beaujolais and the charm of Burgundy. This wine is ready to drink now but Morgon is one of the longest-lasting crus and will therefore develop for a futher year or two.

VINOUS-ANTONIO GALLONI 90 POINTS: Deep ruby. Ripe cherry and dark berry aromas are complemented by suggestions of licorice and fruitcake. Lush and creamy on the palate, offering ripe, expansive black and blue fruit flavors that don't come off very Beaujolais-like to me. Seamless and sweet, with a potent black raspberry quality clinging on a long, broad and subtly tannic finish. I suspect that Beaujolais purists will find my score high, while those who love plush, seamless and assertively fruity wines will view it as stingy. Either way, the smart money is on drinking it now and over the next few years."

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."

Cédric Chignard’s seventy-year-old vines in the Beauvernay vineyard of Juliénas enjoy excellent exposure at high elevation, constantly whipped by cool winds. The soil here is not the granite that dominates the crus of Beaujolais, but a hard blue stone of volcanic origin also found on the Côte de Brouilly. Cédric fermented the wine naturally, aged it in foudres, and bottled without filtration, so this peculiar and unique terroir shines through in full earnest: lean, breezy, and crunchy—quite drinkably so, I might add. A relatively recent addition to this excellent domain based in Fleurie. The Julienas is bright, aromatic and high-toned. It has the perfect balance of fruit and acidity which makes you keep reaching for more.

Jean-Louis is a devout practitioner of organic viticulture and the property has been certified by ECOCERT since 2009. Harvest is done by hand and grapes are immediately placed in tank at low temperatures to begin carbonic maceration (without sulfur)
The wines of Jean-Louis Dutraive are some of the most unique aromatically and texturally in all of Beaujolais. One whiff, and the wines display an almost exotic floral and spicy aroma overlayed over lush minerally Gamay fruit, sort of like a top Morey St. Denis 1er or Grand Cru nose combined with earthy, Volnay-like fruit. There is also a textural lushness and exuberance backed up by ample structure and acid. These are substantial Beaujolais, and ones that could certainly stand up to food. They also have the requisite material to develop and evolve over the medium term, i.e. 10-12 years of aging, easily!

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.

Alain Michaud’s estate is composed of an average of 60-year-old vines spread throughout the rolling hills Brouilly. The wines are made from very old vines (the average 60 years) and are gorgeous and refined, clearly wines that are made by a master vigneron.

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.

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.

The 2016 Beaujolais have become an almost can't miss and this wine is no different. Light Fruity wine, a great value for any occasion. The perfect wine for your backyard barbecque, entertaining guest or just a glass to relax with.

The 2015 Fleurie has a generous, open-knit bouquet with mineral-driven red cherries, fennel and blackcurrant leaf aromas. The palate is well balanced with fine tannin. It feels very fresh in the mouth with just a hint of menthol furnishing the harmonious finish. It represents one of the most delicious offerings from Foillard at the moment.

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.

Jean-Louis has found his own unique style of winemaking and has been organic for many years. He was certified in 2009, but practicing way before then. From a single parcel, mixed terroir of clay, galet stones, and a majority of sand on granite gives this wine great complexity. Located at the very north of the Beaujolais. Organically-farmed, 50-year-old vines planted on hills (430m-450m altitude) with south-southwest exposure.

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.

WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2017 Morgon Vieilles Vignes is superb, wafting from the glass with notes of red cherries, cassis, candied peel and raw cocoa. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, supple and velvety, with juicy acids, a deep core of fruit and refined tannins. Thévenet routinely produces one of the most elegant, classy expressions of Morgon, and the 2017 vintage is no exception. In ideal conditions, this will develop in bottle for a decade or more."

WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS: "The 2016 Morgon Côte du Py Javernières is exceptional, unfurling in the glass with a complex bouquet of crushed cassis, dark wild berries, grilled meat, wood smoke and rich soil tones. On the palate, it's full-bodied, ample and layered, with a multidimensional mid-palate, melting tannins and juicy acids, concluding with a long finish. It will be well worth seeking out."