Appellation: Fleurie-Poncié Cuvée: Colour: Red Grapes: Gamay About: From old goblet-trained vines at the top of Poncié, along the ridge high above the village, and one of the celebrated vineyards of Fleurie. Inspired by Jules Chauvet’s fermentation notes from 1972. Vines Location: one of 13 named vineyards in Fleurie Size: a few rows Age: planted … Continue reading Le Grappin Fleurie-Poncié
Appellation: Vin de France Cuvée: Corenthin Colour: White Grapes: Chardonnay About: Fred’s more experimental and more marvellous white wine. From older vines than the O’Blanc. Sometimes with some skin contact for different aromatics and texture, albeit the exception rather than the rule. Always aged in one or two 450L old oak barrels. Sometimes a blend … Continue reading Frédéric Aublanc Corenthin VDF
Appellation: Fleurie Cuvée: Vendanges Tardives Colour: Red Grapes: Gamay About: Note this isn’t a late-harvested Cuvée, as the name might suggest – but specifically doesn’t say Vendanges Tardives. It’s a wine from the oldest vines of the estate, at least 80 years old, made to show the potential of great Beaujolais to age in bottle, … Continue reading Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Cuvée Tardive
Appellation: Fleurie Cuvée: classic Colour: Red Grapes: Gamay About: Roilette is a unique site within Fleurie for it has around 25% clay in its granite soils. In fact the estate used to lie within the now neighbouring Moulin-a-Vent appellation which the sturdy structure of this wine displays. Yet Alain Coudert gives it what he calls … Continue reading Clos de la Roilette Fleurie
Who: Alain Coudert What: Fleurie and Brouilly Where: Fleurie When: Since 1900 Clos de la Roilette is located to the east of the village of Fleurie down the hill toward Moulin-a-Vent and holds a vast view of the vineyard south, east and north. It’s not actually a Clos but the savvy owner who named the … Continue reading Clos de la Roilette
Appellation: Brouilly Cuvée: Colour: Red Grapes: Gamay About: To define Fred’s style, this is one of the most savoury of Crus Beaujolais, has much in common with the wines from the north in the Côtes de Nuits. Pulsating fruit and visceral texture, this is not about sheen, it’s a journey into pleasure. Vines Location: 50 … Continue reading Frédéric Aublanc Brouilly
Appellation: Vin de France Cuvée: Tentation Colour: Red Grapes: Gamay About: One of those “mere” Vin de France that stands out in its class. It could be Beaujolais-Villages but to what end? I’ve tasted thirty year old versions from so-called poor years that are stunning. Crazy. This vineyard is also the source of Fred’s hors … Continue reading Frédéric Aublanc Tentation VDF
Appellation: Vin de France Cuvée: O’Blanc Colour: White Grapes: Chardonnay About: One of those “mere” Vin de France that is in many ways finer, and more rewarding, than an Appellation wine. Of course this could be Beaujolais Blanc but to what end? This is more Burgundy perhaps, richly textured and with a sappy vegetal character. … Continue reading Frédéric Aublanc O’Blanc VDF
Who: Frédéric Aublanc What: Vin de France and Brouilly Where: Quincié When: Since 1950s It took a chance introduction from Pierre Michelland of Domaine la Realtière by way of a bottle offered to reveal this under the radar producer to us in the summer of 2020. Fred is based high the end of a winding … Continue reading Domaine Frédéric Aublanc
Everything we know about Charly Thevenet’s wine for now has been posted here! Charly Thevenet makes outstanding Cru Beaujolais. Like his Papa, Jean-Paul, he makes a very limited quantity of just one wine from one Appellation, in his case, Regnié. Fruit, finesse, freshness, complexity are all present.
Appellation: Régnié. Cuvée: Grains et Granit. Colour: Red. Grapes: Gamay. About: Charly puts everything into making just one wine from very old vines in Régnié, Beaujolais’s newest, and least well-known Cru. It’s a wine that will turn heads and pre-conceptions. For it has all the structure of Cru Bourgogne with silky tannins and vibrant freshness, … Continue reading Charly Thevenet Régnié Grains et Granit
Who: Charly Thevenet What: Régnié, Beaujolais Where: Villié-Morgon, Rhône-Alpes When: 2007 The Story Charly Thevenet is the son of Jean-Paul, who himself started making natural wine in the 1980’s as a friend of, and motivated by, Marcel Lapierre, along with Jean Foillard and Guy Breton. Charly worked with his father and also with Lapierre, before … Continue reading Charly Thevenet
Everything we know about Jean-Paul Thevenet’s wines for now has been posted here! Jean-Paul Thevenet is one of the pioneers of natural wine in Beaujolais. His wines are subtle, complex, fine, sublime.
Appellation: Morgon. Cuvée: Vieilles Vignes. Colour: Red. Grapes: Gamay. About: Due to its very limited production and very long-term clientele, this is quite a rare, under the radar treasure. It’s a peerless Cru Beaujolais and a peerless example of great natural wine (if that’s what you want to call it – just great wine will … Continue reading Jean-Paul Thevenet Morgon Vieilles Vignes
Who: Jean-Paul Thevenet. What: Morgon. Where: Villié-Morgon, Rhône-Alpes. When: Since 1984. The Story Jean-Paul Thevenet was the third generation to work his family’s small farm based in Morgon. When he took over at the end of the 1970’s, the region’s wines were in a poor way due to mass production by chemical agriculture, over-cropping, harvesting … Continue reading Jean-Paul Thevenet
Appellation: Juliénas Cuvée: Côte de Bessay Colour: Red Grapes: Gamay. About: the first wine from David and Michele and a wine that has put them on the map. Produced with and at Domaine Lapierre with Mathieu and Camille. Vines Location: in Juliénas next to St Amour. Size: 2.2 hectares harvested from a 4 hectare parcel … Continue reading Juliénas Côte de Bessay
