Jean Foillard
by Chris Santini
While still a teenager, Jean Foillard reluctantly agreed to work at the family domaine at his father’s behest. It was the early 1980s, and most growers in the Beaujolais had long ago heeded the siren’s call of easy chemical farming and oenologically assisted winemaking. To say that Jean drank whiskey instead of wine tells of the sad state of the region in those days, until he started hanging out with his neighbor and new friend, Marcel Lapierre. The wines he tasted there caught his attention and then some—they were full of life, vibrancy, and fun. Jean hopped on board and, with Marcel, formed an ever-widening circle of mates to fine-tune the craft of carrying out ultra-precise, sulfur-free vinifications with natural yeasts from organically farmed grapes.
By the 1990s, Jean’s Morgon “Côte du Py” bottling had come to be his signature sensation, raising eyebrows from the classicists while simultaneously becoming the go-to house pour in the burgeoning Parisian natural wine scene. The svelte, iconic expression of his wines, with their instantly recognizable fleshy stone fruit, granite minerality, and full, riveting structure, became a reference point for what serious, top-tier cru Beaujolais could be.
2024 Beaujolais-Villages
France | Beaujolais
Full of crunchy fruit and spice with a chillable vibe, this wine angles to be enjoyed on its own, yet has just enough grip to make it a perfect match for what’s cooking on your grill this summer.
2024 Morgon “Cuvée Corcelette”
France | Beaujolais
From a high-elevation parcel right on the border with Chiroubles, Corcelette sports a delicate, floral nose with a lush texture that really pulls you in.
2024 Morgon “Côte du Py”
France | Beaujolais
This old volcanic slope is at once the geographic and symbolic heart of Morgon. It produces a rock-solid masterpiece that is perhaps the single most sought-after release from the region, year in and year out.
2024 Fleurie
France | Beaujolais
A dark, intriguing wine from old vines. Warm earth and ripe raspberries dominate at first glance, with peony and pepper shining through as it awakens.