When Charly joined his father, Jean Paul, at the family estate in Morgon, he stumbled upon a classified ad for century-old vines for sale in Régnié, paid them a visit, and it was love at first sight. His father thought he was crazy, as back then Régnié, the youngest of the crus, was little known and a hard sell. It hasn’t been an easy road, but today Régnié enjoys the respect it deserves, thanks in no small part to Charly’s work with this cuvée. Over the past few years, Charly has been fine-tuning the vinification to adapt to the warmer vintages, amping up the freshness, making it a little less Rhône and a bit more Beaujolais, a little less sun and a bit more fun, a little less conversation, and a little more action!

A name derived from the mulberry trees that used to grow on this slope, “Les Moriers” hints back to the time when Gamay vines were stripped and replaced with trees to breed silkworms for the silk industry of Lyon. The silk industry faded, the vines returned to their rightful place, and the parcel has regained its standing as the finest in Fleurie. The late great Beaujolais negociant of yore, André Trenel (whom Kermit imported back in the ’80s), once described Les Moriers as having the classic Fleurie dominance of violet aromas, with an extra touch of distinction. Chignard’s Les Moriers, coming from their old vines in the heart of this parcel, has distinction a-plenty, with a great mouthful of Gamay fruit to boot.

Claude-Edouard Geoffray speaks proudly of his 2023 Brouilly as having “éclat,” which translates to brilliance or sparkle. It’s true that this is really an exceptional vintage for this cuvée, quite elegant, fresh, and super-smooth, with a fruit finish that seems to go for days. One of the finest Brouilly I’ve encountered to date, with éclat galore.