FRENCH WINE

This highly aromatic Côte de Brouilly oozes with flavors of kirsch, crushed rocks, potpourri, and ripe raspberries. Juicy and fresh, the wine’s tangy acidity and structured backbone lead to a long finish. Drink over the next five years.

PRACTICING ORGANIC

The wines have a seductive aromatic component, a silky texture, and a downright deliciousness that is unmistakably Foillard. After all, Alex used tried-and-true techniques to craft his wines: whole-cluster fermentation with natural yeasts, no fining or filtration, and no additives of any kind save for a minute sulfur dose at bottling. The new generation at Domaine Foillard has burst onto the scene with a bang, and the future is full of exciting possibilities for this talented Beaujolais youngster.

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 began working at a her family’s domaine and 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.

BIODYNAMIC

Chateau Cambon is the joint venture to produce great, natural Beaujolais between the famed estates of Marcel Lapierre and Joseph Chamonard. In 1981, his path would be forever changed by Jules Chauvet, a man whom many now call his spiritual godfather. Chauvet was a winemaker, a researcher, a chemist, and a viticultural prophet. It was he who, upon the advent of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the 1950s, first spoke out for “natural wine,” harkening back to the traditional methods of the Beaujolais. Joined by local vignerons Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thévenet, Joseph Chamonard and Jean Foillard, Marcel spearheaded a group that soon took up the torch of this movement. This was the Gang of Five. They were rebels that called for a return to the old practices of viticulture and vinification: starting with old vines, 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 disdaining chaptalization. Marcel was recently joined by his son Mathieu, and together they took the natural wine philosophy one step further, following organic and biodynamic vineyard practices. The end of the 2010 vintage was Marcel’s last. He passed away at the end of the harvest— a poetic farewell for a man that forever changed our perception of Beaujolais. Mathieu, his son, Marie his wife and his two daughters, Camille & Anne continue the great work that Marcel began. The Cambon wines are from a parcel planted in 1914 on a mixture of granite and chalkclay in St. Jean d’Ardieres (to the east of Brouilly next to Morgon) and this is an exceedingly tasty, fresh and easy-going Gamay. Cambon is situated on the plain here and many of the parcels of the estate bump against these two crus, but none of them are inside the delimited AOCs, therefore only Beaujolais can be produced at this estate. The elevage for both wines takes place in 7,000 L foudres, natural yeast fermentations for both and everything else is done in cuve. No sulphur is added at bottling and 1,250 bottles are produced each vintage on average.

WINE SPECTATOR 90 POINTS - "This is light-bodied but backed by focused acidity and streamlined flavors of pure cherry and raspberry that are tangy and spicy, flanked by white pepper, tea and herb details."

ORGANIC CULTIVATION

Les Vérillats has a deep red color with an intense nose of black fruit, unusual for the appellation. The mouth is full and supple, with a delicious smoothness balanced by the freshness of the fruit and spices.

VINOUS 93 POINTS - "Brilliant violet color. A suave, mineral-accented bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits and candied flowers and a spicy nuance builds in the glass. Bright, seamless and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated yet lively raspberry and boysenberry flavors that firm up slowly with aeration. Ripe but graceful in style, finishing gently tannic and impressively long, leaving a sexy lavender pastille note behind."

Michel Chignard is a modest perfectionist who has been practicing his craft for 4 decades. His son, Cédric, now oversees the domaine with as much care as his father. The Chignard family is fortunate to own vineyards in one of the best sites of the Fleurie appellation in Beaujolais; "Les Moriers" is a 8 hectare parcel that extends into Moulin-a-Vent territory. These 60 year old vines have roots that run deep accessing minerals from the granite subsoil thus imparting that classic Fleurie freshness and "gout de terroir".



This wine beautifully expresses the terroir of "Les Moriers"; it is fresh and playful, with deep ripe fruit and finesse.

WINE ADVOCATE 93+ POINTS - "The 2018 Morgon Bellevue Sable comes from younger vines, planted on Viala rootstock in sandy soils—as the "sable" newly added to its label makes clear. Revealing aromas of blackberries, smoked meats, cracked pepper and violets, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and muscular, with powdery structuring tannin, juicy acids and a blockier, more reserved profile than the Chiroubles and Brouilly that preceded it. This will demand a couple of years' patience before it shows all its cards."

VINOUS 94 POINTS - "Bright, youthful purple. An expansive, highly complex bouquet evokes fresh, mineral-accented cherry and boysenberry, along with building floral and exotic spice notes. Stains the palate with sweet red/blue fruit, lavender pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Delivers a suave blend of richness and energy and finishes very long and juicy, displaying harmonious tannins, resonating florality and a late touch of earthiness."

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "The 2018 Fleurie Clos de la Grand'Cour bursts with notes of raspberries, cherries, rose petals, cinnamon and blood orange. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, supple and enveloping, with a juicy core of fruit, ripe acids and melting tannins. Pretty, open-knit and fleshy, this was matured half in foudre and half in old barrels."

VINOUS 92 POINTS - "Brilliant violet. Mineral-accented red and blue fruits on the perfumed nose, which is lifted by a building spicy element. Juicy and energetic for the vintage, offering sappy boysenberry and black raspberry flavors that are complemented by a hint of candied flowers. Sappy and precise on the impressively long, gently tannic finish, which emphatically repeats the blue fruit note."

Lafarge, biodynamics, Gamay, granite – sounds like a match made in heaven n’est ce-pas? As if managing the Lafarge family’s iconic domaine in Volnay wasn’t enough, Frédéric and Chantal Lafarge decided in spring 2014 to embark on a new adventure a little further south. Still Burgundy but a new sector, a new grape variety and the inspiring Beaujolais Cru terroirs that come with it. What’s perhaps most beautiful about the new project is that the couple really wanted to invest in something together that would be entirely their own creation. This equal partnership is reflected in the inclusion of both of their names for the domaine’s title and on the label (Vial is Chantal’s maiden name).

The couple kicked off their venture by purchasing 2.25 hectares and winemaking facility in 2014. For this first vintage, they produced three cuvées – Chiroubles, Fleurie Bel Air and Fleurie Clos Vernay. In true Lafarge fashion, each one reflects its individual and specific vineyard origin. Frédéric and Chantal immediately began working all acquired vineyards biodynamically, with the same intention and detailed observation as for their Côte d’Or vineyards.

Following a few additional vineyard purchases, the domaine’s total surface area increased to 4.1 hectares for the 2015 vintage. This includes the acquisition of the gorgeous, high altitude, old vine plot of Joie du Palais in Fleurie. Here the steep slopes require horse-plowing, for which the Lafarges recruit Max, a beautiful gray horse who also spends time working Olivier Merlin’s vineyard in Moulin à Vent.

Frédéric is as giddy as a kid with a brand new toy – new terroirs to understand, new vineyards to observe and adapt his biodynamic methods to, and a new grape variety through which to communicate the combination of these complex elements.

The slight delay in ripeness between the Côte de Beaune and the Beaujolais allow the Lafarges to be fully present during harvest at both domaines for their first two vintages. The steep, gobelet-trained vineyards are hand-harvested and mostly de-stemmed, though there is up to 25% whole cluster in 2015. The couple prefers to stick to their traditional Burgundian vinification to ensure transparent terroir expression. Gentle extraction (with alternated punch-downs and pump-overs in 2014 and only pump-overs in 2015) and a relatively short élevage of 12 months in older barrels (228 or 350 liters) or foudres (30hl) is the rule of thumb for these Beaujolais Crus.

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS: "The 2017 Fleurie Poncié hails from a southeast-facing, higher-altitude site that’s typically quite cool, and that’s reflected in its bright, perfumed bouquet of raspberries, rose petals and Griotte cherries, with suggestions of darker fruits emerging with air. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, pure and nicely concentrated, with fine tannins, a bright line of acidity and good length on the finish."

VINOUS 92 POINTS: "Shimmering ruby. Deep-pitched, expansive aromas of ripe dark berries, cherry cola, licorice and baking spices are lifted by a smoky mineral quality. Sappy and expansive on the palate, offering intense blackberry, bitter cherry, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that slowly unfurl and become sweeter on the back half. Closes smooth, smoky and very long, with resonating spice and mineral notes and dusty, even tannins adding gentle grip."

WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "The 2018 Fleurie La Tonne hails from a high-altidue amphitheater-shaped parcel that encompasses expositions from southeast to northwest. Bursting with aromas of rose petals, Griotte cherries and blood orange, it's medium to full-bodied and ripe but succulent, with melting tannins and an aromatic finish. Pretty and charming, it's a pity it will be the last vintage of this bottling."

VINOUS 92 POINTS - "Vivid magenta. Expressive red/blue fruit aromas are complemented by suggestions of candied flowers, smoky minerals and baking spices. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering intense black raspberry and boysenberry flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Finishes long and smooth, showing excellent clarity, well-knit tannins and resonating floral and mineral character."

WINE ADVOCATE 90 POINTS - "From vines in Quincié and named after Breton's daughter, the 2018 Beaujolais-Villages Cuvée Marylou reveals a lovely bouquet of cherries, citrus zest and strawberries. On the palate, it's medium."

ORGANIC

WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2018 Morgon Côte du Py is showing very nicely, offering up a classy bouquet of raspberries and plums, mingled with hints of orange rind, violet and cardamom. Medium to full-bodied, deep and complete, with a fleshy but elegantly understated core and an expansive finish. Impressively integrated—indeed, it was only after spending half an hour with the bottle that I noticed that it's labeled at 14.5% alcohol—with powdery tannins and succulent balancing acids, it's another fine rendition of this iconic cuvée."

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

Traditional, whole cluster fermentation lasts from 3-4 weeks
Aged for 6-9 months in used oak barrels
Sourced exclusively from the Les Charmes vineyard, the highest altitude lieu-dit in the appellatio

WINE ADVOCATE 91 POINTS - "From a northeast-facing lieu-dit with deeper soils than Champagne and Grand'Coeur, Dutraive's 2018 Fleurie Chapelle de Bois offers up aromas of wild berries, cassis, cloves and rose hips. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and succulent, with a delicate, open-knit profile and a light framing of powdery tannins. It's a delicious Fleurie that will drink well for a decade.

Jean-Louis' “sans soufre” bottling immediately overflows with soft, beautiful exotic red and yellow fruits that comfortably rest on fresh, striking acidity. It is the most charming and perhaps the least serious wine in the range only due to its shorter drinking window. Jean-Louis is candid about the need to drink this wine within a 6-8 hour period as the wine has a wonderfully high peak of drinking. However, without SO2 the wines loses a good portion of its charm the next day. It is a rare and wonderful wine.


All of Jean-Louis’ wines are made with whole clusters, zero extraction and natural fermentations. They are made from a combination of nearly perfect farming and zen-like observation. The elevage of this wine is 60% in stainless steel and 40% in futs de chene (barrel).


Terroir: Just on the north side of the domaine, this vineyard is on a gentle slope facing north. The soil is decomposed granite that is slightly deeper than most sections of the Clos de la Coeur; in fact, it is the deepest soil in his roster of vines. It is also the coolest site, thus rendering wines with greater acidity. This combination of higher natural acidity and a cooler terroir is the reason why he chooses this site to bottle a wine completely free of Sulfur.

We are excited to offer for your drinking pleasure a fantastic Beaujolais, which is a perfect wine to enjoy on a warm summer day or evening. This refreshing medium-bodied, dry red wine from Jean-Marc Burgaud immediately caught our attention when we tasted it and were blown away by the purity, intensity and freshness of the fruit.

We were able to grab the last bottles of the vintage from the distributor at a great price. William Kelley of the Wine Advocate was also very impressed, awarding this wine 92 Points and calling it a "superb" wine "bursting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, violets and ripe cherry fruit."

Lantignie is considered one of the best villages due to its hillsides and granite soil which produces a wine with a bright ruby color and a fresh and fruity nose. Winemaking is traditional at this domaine with Jean-Marc practicing organic and refusing to use chemical fertilizers or insecticides. He respects the land, plowing the soil and harvesting by hand. The finest grapes are selected with whole bunch maceration taking place in vats (both stainless steel and concrete vats are employed) followed by aging in used wood. The vines range between 40 and 100 years of age.

This Beaujolais Villages drinks like a much more expensive Cru Beaujolais-it's that good!! This is one of those crowd-pleasing wines everybody will enjoy.

We are happy to offer this eminently drinkable, refreshing Beaujolais at the best price in the country.

Stock is limited to what we have on hand. When it's gone, it's gone.

WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "The 2018 Beaujolais-Lantignie from Alexandre Burgaud is superb, bursting from the glass with aromas of wild berries, violets and ripe cherry fruit. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, with excellent concentration, succulent acids and powdery tannins, concluding with a sapid finish. The young Burgaud is evidently a rising star of the Beaujolais who merits readers' attention."

VINOUS 91 POINTS - "Shimmering magenta. Lively, mineral-kissed raspberry, cherry and floral aromas show very good clarity and an exotic touch of star anise. Juicy red berry and spicecake flavors show very good depth, silky texture and a touch of licorice that builds with aeration. Delivers a suave blend of power and finesse and finishes juicy and long, with just a hint of fine-grained tannins adding closing grip."

ORGANIC FARMING

The vineyard is farmed using organic methods and in accordance to the lunar cycle.
CRISP, DRY, ELEGANT AND AROMATIC, FLORAL, FRUITY, LIGHT, MINERAL

VINOUS 93 POINTS - "Youthful purple. Expansive, mineral- and spice-accented raspberry, cherry and floral pastille aromas show outstanding clarity and pick up a subtle hint of gaminess as the wine opens up. Stains the palate with sweet red/blue fruit flavors that display both depth and vibrancy. Firms up stealthily on an impressively long, floral- and mineral-driven finish that's given shape by smooth, well-knit tannins."