Beaujolais
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Jules Chauvet
© Gail Skoff
Guy Breton
© Gail Skoff
Nicole Chanrion
© Gail Skoff
Bernard Diochon
© Gail Skoff
Claude Geoffray of Château Thivin
© Gail Skoff
Marcel & Marie Lapierre
© Gail Skoff
“Beaujolais must be the most inspired invention in the history of wine. What a concept, downing a newborn wine that has barely left the grape, a wine that retains the cornucopian spirit of the harvest past. It even serves to remind us of the first time man tasted fermented grape juice and decided it was an accident worth pursuing.
Who invented Beaujolais? We don’t know, but some of the revisionist winemakers who quite recently snuffed it out are very well known indeed.” –Kermit Lynch, Adventures on the Wine Route
Jules Chauvet
© Gail Skoff
Guy Breton
© Gail Skoff
Nicole Chanrion
© Gail Skoff
Bernard Diochon
© Gail Skoff
Claude Geoffray of Château Thivin
© Gail Skoff
Marcel & Marie Lapierre
© Gail Skoff
“Beaujolais must be the most inspired invention in the history of wine. What a concept, downing a newborn wine that has barely left the grape, a wine that retains the cornucopian spirit of the harvest past. It even serves to remind us of the first time man tasted fermented grape juice and decided it was an accident worth pursuing.
Who invented Beaujolais? We don’t know, but some of the revisionist winemakers who quite recently snuffed it out are very well known indeed.” –Kermit Lynch, Adventures on the Wine Route
We begin with Beaujolais, today one of France’s most dynamic and exciting wine regions. Much of its recent rise in stature can be traced back to Jules Chauvet, a négociant Kermit worked with in the 1980s who we consider the godfather of the natural wine movement. Chauvet opposed herbicide and pesticide use in the vineyards and advocated for low-intervention techniques in the cellar: spontaneous fermentations, no chaptalization, and reducing or even eliminating sulfur use in winemaking. Chief among Chauvet’s followers was Morgon vigneron Marcel Lapierre and his friends Jean Foillard, Guy Breton, and Jean-Paul Thévenet, an influential group Kermit dubbed “the Gang of Four.” As the Gang mastered Chauvet’s methods and the natural wine gospel began to spread, Beaujolais became an increasingly serious source of red wines reflecting the quality and diversity of its unique terroirs.
The Gamay grape is perfectly adapted to the predominantly granitic soils of the Beaujolais’ rolling hills, and much like the locals’ laid-back and friendly nature, the wines too have a lively, easy-drinking spirit. Delicious on their own, they pair excellently with anything from the region’s pork sausages and charcuterie to diverse world cuisines. Beaujolais has a freshness and delectable fruit that make it hard to resist young, but cru wines from the best producers also offer great aging potential. These bottlings are not just among the most versatile wines you can find, but they continue to represent incredible value.
Wines In The Collection
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais
Notes of stones, pear, and citrus... Enjoy as a refreshing, mineral apéritif or alongside your favorite fresh seafood.
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
Savor it while you can, because your glass will be empty before you know it, leaving you only with the spicy, mineral-laden aftertaste of a bottle that went down way too easily.
Domaine Dupeuble France | Beaujolais
Dupeuble’s rouge is thirst-quenching and tangy with loads of violet and réglisse.
Alex Foillard France | Beaujolais
Alex Foillard fashions a Côte-de-Brouilly that strikes a deeper register, saturating the senses with tooth-staining fruit, gritty earth, and just a touch of the good funk.
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
An opulent, mouth-filling expression of granitic terroir, this bottling has the delicate floral nuances and fine-grained tannin that differentiates Fleurie from the other crus.
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
This bottling is classic Brouilly, balanced and old-school, and showcases the beauty of Gamay.
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
Charly Thévenet and his father, Jean Paul, now bottle a range of five different wines in their cellars in Villié-Morgon
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
Leave it to Breton to take summer heat and turn it into a light summer breeze in a glass.
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
Rochebonne offers Chardonnay fruit that’s both racy and sun-kissed
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
August Club Gourmand ~ Brambly and mineral, this bottling exudes both the convivial charm of Gamay and the crunchy intensity of the Côte de Brouilly.
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais
Loads of fun—juicy, round, structured, yet always elegant and focused. A classic favorite.
France | Beaujolais
Notes of stones, pear, and citrus... Enjoy as a refreshing, mineral apéritif or alongside your favorite fresh seafood.
France | Beaujolais
Savor it while you can, because your glass will be empty before you know it, leaving you only with the spicy, mineral-laden aftertaste of a bottle that went down way too easily.
France | Beaujolais
Dupeuble’s rouge is thirst-quenching and tangy with loads of violet and réglisse.
France | Beaujolais
Alex Foillard fashions a Côte-de-Brouilly that strikes a deeper register, saturating the senses with tooth-staining fruit, gritty earth, and just a touch of the good funk.
France | Beaujolais
An opulent, mouth-filling expression of granitic terroir, this bottling has the delicate floral nuances and fine-grained tannin that differentiates Fleurie from the other crus.
France | Beaujolais
This bottling is classic Brouilly, balanced and old-school, and showcases the beauty of Gamay.
France | Beaujolais
Charly Thévenet and his father, Jean Paul, now bottle a range of five different wines in their cellars in Villié-Morgon
France | Beaujolais
Leave it to Breton to take summer heat and turn it into a light summer breeze in a glass.
France | Beaujolais
Rochebonne offers Chardonnay fruit that’s both racy and sun-kissed
France | Beaujolais
August Club Gourmand ~ Brambly and mineral, this bottling exudes both the convivial charm of Gamay and the crunchy intensity of the Côte de Brouilly.
France | Beaujolais
Loads of fun—juicy, round, structured, yet always elegant and focused. A classic favorite.
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