Notify me
2015 Morgon “Les Charmes” Eponym’
Jean FoillardAmong the highest in altitude of Morgon’s climats, Les Charmes provides an excellent stylistic contrast to the silky delight of Corcelette and Côte du Py’s regal, profound granitic poise.
True to its name, Charmes is a bright, lively Morgon evoking little wild red berries backed by a mouth-watering acidity and a stimulating mineral bite. Given the Foillard treatment, of course—organic farming plus a traditional whole-cluster fermentation with native yeast, aging in neutral wood, and unfiltered bottling with a minimal SO2 dose—this vineyard yields a wine true to its terroir. You’ll find Foillard’s trademark texture, that feeling of utter purity and sexiness when granite stone meets liquid velvet.
Charmes drinks superbly today and should cellar well over the next five years. Don’t miss this delicious new interpretation of Morgon from one of the best in the business.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Gamay |
Appellation: | Morgon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Beaujolais |
Producer: | Jean Foillard |
Winemaker: | Jean Foillard |
Vineyard: | 45 - 50 years; 1.5 ha total |
Soil: | Schist, Granite, Manganese |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Beaujolais Blanc “Clos de Rochebonne”
France | Beaujolais
Different from the whites of neighboring Mâcon, this blanc is firm but also a touch fleshy.
2021 Morgon “Eponym”
France | Beaujolais
This cuvée shares the satin texture of all Foillard Morgons, and should age similarly well for those willing and able to wait.
2022 Morgon “Vieilles Vignes”
France | Beaujolais
Leave it to Breton to take summer heat and turn it into a light summer breeze in a glass.
2023 Beaujolais Villages Rosé
France | Beaujolais
Sourced from the pink granite terroir of Brouilly, this rosé is simply delicious, with good grip and notes of summery red berries.
2022 Beaujolais MAGNUM
France | Beaujolais
This Beaujolais offers the drinkability of the most effusive Morgons with the frankness of a chiseled Moulin-à-Vent.
2021 Fleurie
France | Beaujolais
Light and living, charged with herbs, cranberry, and strawberry.
2021 Régnié
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.
2022 Moulin-à-Vent “Vieilles Vignes”
France | Beaujolais
April Club Gourmand ~ Soulful and savory, with notes of cherries, iron, and smoke, this is cru Beaujolais built to last.
2020 Morgon “Eponym”
France | Beaujolais
This cuvée shares the satin texture of all Foillard Morgons, and should age similarly well for those willing and able to wait.
2021 Côte de Brouilly HALF BOTTLE
France | Beaujolais
Cassis, blueberry, violets, plum, and blackberry. In other words, a whole lot of Beaujolais in one bottle!
About The Producer
Jean Foillard
About The Region
Beaujolais
After years of the region’s reputation being co-opted by mass-produced Beaujolais Nouveau and the prevalence of industrial farming, the fortunes of vignerons from the Beaujolais have been on the rise in the past couple of decades. Much of this change is due to Jules Chauvet, a prominent Beaujolais producer who Kermit worked with in the 1980s and arguably the father of the natural wine movement, who advocated not using herbicides or pesticides in vineyards, not chaptalizing, fermenting with ambient yeasts, and vinifying without SO2. Chief among Chauvet’s followers was Marcel Lapierre and his three friends, Jean Foillard, Guy Breton, and Jean-Paul Thévenet—a group of Morgon producers who Kermit dubbed “the Gang of Four.” The espousal of Chauvet’s methods led to a dramatic change in quality of wines from Beaujolais and with that an increased interest and appreciation for the AOC crus, Villages, and regular Beaujolais bottlings.
The crus of Beaujolais are interpreted through the Gamay grape and each illuminate the variety of great terroirs available in the region. Distinguishing itself from the clay and limestone of Burgundy, Beaujolais soils are predominantly decomposed granite, with pockets of blue volcanic rock. The primary vinification method is carbonic maceration, where grapes are not crushed, but instead whole clusters are placed in a tank, thus allowing fermentation to take place inside each grape berry.
Much like the easy-going and friendly nature of many Beaujolais vignerons, the wines too have a lively and easy-drinking spirit. They are versatile at table but make particularly good matches with the local pork sausages and charcuterie. Though often considered a wine that must be drunk young, many of the top crus offer great aging potential.
More from Beaujolais or France
2021 Beaujolais Blanc “Terrain Rouge”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2021 Morgon “Charmes - Infusion”
Quentin Harel France | Beaujolais
2022 Vin de France Blanc “Perle de Gamay”
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais
2021 Côte de Brouilly HALF BOTTLE
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Chiroubles “Cuvée Léa”
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2022 Côte de Brouilly “Cuvée Zaccharie”
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Morgon Tradition
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2022 Fleurie
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2023 Vin de France Rouge “Raisins Gaulois”
M. & C. Lapierre France | Beaujolais
2021 Juliénas “Beauvernay”
Domaine Chignard France | Beaujolais
2020 Brouilly
Alex Foillard France | Beaujolais
2022 Beaujolais
Domaine Dupeuble France | Beaujolais
2021 Beaujolais Blanc “Terrain Rouge”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2021 Morgon “Charmes - Infusion”
Quentin Harel France | Beaujolais
2022 Vin de France Blanc “Perle de Gamay”
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais
2021 Côte de Brouilly HALF BOTTLE
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Chiroubles “Cuvée Léa”
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2022 Côte de Brouilly “Cuvée Zaccharie”
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Morgon Tradition
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2022 Fleurie
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2023 Vin de France Rouge “Raisins Gaulois”
M. & C. Lapierre France | Beaujolais
2021 Juliénas “Beauvernay”
Domaine Chignard France | Beaujolais
2020 Brouilly
Alex Foillard France | Beaujolais
2022 Beaujolais
Domaine Dupeuble France | Beaujolais
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312