2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
Charly Thévenet and his father, Jean Paul, now bottle a range of five different wines in their cellars in Villié-Morgon, although this old-vine Morgon bottling —for many years the only wine the family produced—still rules the roost. If Beaujolais were Burgundy (thank goodness it isn’t!), we might consider Morgon to be Vosne-Romanée, with its haunting perfume and silky texture, the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Gamay |
Appellation: | Morgon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Beaujolais |
Producer: | Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet |
Winemaker: | Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet |
Vineyard: | 70 years, 4.85 ha |
Soil: | Decomposed Granite, Sand |
Aging: | Wines aged on fine lees in 5-7 year-old oak Burgundian barrels for 6-8 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais | Régnié
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais | Régnié
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais | Morgon
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais | Morgon
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais | Côte de Brouilly
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais | Chiroubles
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.
Quentin Harel France | Beaujolais | Morgon
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais | Morgon
Domaine Dupeuble France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais | Brouilly
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais | Côte de Brouilly
Domaine Dupeuble France | Beaujolais | Beaujolais
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais | Morgon
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais | Côte de Brouilly
Domaine Chignard France | Beaujolais | Fleurie
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
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