Notify me
2021 Fleurie “Les Moriers”
Domaine ChignardCédric Chignard
“Les Moriers” is an exceptional vineyard in the cru of Fleurie; not only is it steep and stony, with a granite core, but a portion of it reaches into Moulin-à-Vent, a cru known for its structural depth and Rhône-like aromatics. Fleurie, by contrast, is thought to be more delicate, pretty and floral, as its name suggests. In Chignard’s “Les Moriers” we have elements of both crus coming together as one, resulting in a harmonious balance of heft and gravitas, laced with violet and a fresh-cut, blossoming bouquet. If there were only one Beaujolais to call “versatile,” this would be it.
—Jane Augustine
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Gamay |
Appellation: | Fleurie |
Country: | France |
Region: | Beaujolais |
Producer: | Domaine Chignard |
Winemaker: | Michel & Cédric Chignard |
Vineyard: | 60 years, 8 ha |
Soil: | Granite |
Aging: | Aged in old foudres (large oak barrels) for 13 months |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2015 Côte-de-Brouilly
France | Beaujolais
Nicole's thick, chewy Côte de Brouilly is a delicious and satisfying wine aging at a glacial pace.
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!
2021 Juliénas “Beauvernay”
France | Beaujolais
An electric lightning bolt of Gamay from a steep, windy hillside.
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 Beaujolais Blanc “Clos de Rochebonne”
France | Beaujolais
Different from the whites of neighboring Mâcon, this blanc is firm but also a touch fleshy.
2022 Beaujolais-Villages “Cuvée Marylou”
France | Beaujolais
French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan says nostalgia is the longing for a past that never was. But, hand to god, this year's Cuvee Marylou tastes just like the raspberry thumbprint cookies my mother used to make for Christmas.
2021 Régnié “Grain & Granit”
France | Beaujolais
Here is a rich, bold Régnié, saturated with luscious fruit and earthy spice.
2021 Chiroubles “Cuvée Léa”
France | Beaujolais
Floral and succulent, bursting with notes of little red berries, but it is also delicate and light on its feet.
2022 Morgon “La Roche Pilée”
France | Beaujolais
The newest addition to the Thévenets’ Morgons, La Roche Pilée is lush and light at the same time, with a balance of soft minerality referenced in the name (which means crushed rock).
2020 Côte de Brouilly
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.
About The Producer
Domaine Chignard
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
2020 Morgon “Eponym”
Jean Foillard France | Beaujolais
2022 Morgon “La Roche Pilée”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2021 Côte de Brouilly
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2022 Brouilly “Reverdon”
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Côte de Brouilly
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Chiroubles “Cuvée Léa”
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2022 Beaujolais Blanc “Clos de Rochebonne”
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2022 Morgon
M. & C. Lapierre France | Beaujolais
2021 Régnié “Grain & Granit”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2022 Vin de France Blanc “Perle de Gamay”
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais
2022 Moulin-à-Vent “Vieilles Vignes”
Bernard Diochon France | Beaujolais
2022 Régnié “En Voiture Simone”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2020 Morgon “Eponym”
Jean Foillard France | Beaujolais
2022 Morgon “La Roche Pilée”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2021 Côte de Brouilly
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2022 Brouilly “Reverdon”
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Côte de Brouilly
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2021 Chiroubles “Cuvée Léa”
Guy Breton France | Beaujolais
2022 Beaujolais Blanc “Clos de Rochebonne”
Château Thivin France | Beaujolais
2022 Morgon
M. & C. Lapierre France | Beaujolais
2021 Régnié “Grain & Granit”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
2022 Vin de France Blanc “Perle de Gamay”
Nicole Chanrion France | Beaujolais
2022 Moulin-à-Vent “Vieilles Vignes”
Bernard Diochon France | Beaujolais
2022 Régnié “En Voiture Simone”
Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet France | Beaujolais
Vintage Chart Mentality
Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch