Wine

Bertrand comes from a lineage of winemakers in Fleurie and is coming up with the new generation of Beaujolais makers. “Les Bambins” translates to “the kids” (bambinos) in reference to him becoming a father in 2017. Blue volcanic rock and volcanic schist make this bottling a study in terroir of Cru Beaujolais.

Come off trail with us to Côte Roannaise. This secret garden of the Loire Valley is an under-the-radar hot-bed for stunning Gamay, but rarely makes it onto store shelves. We’re happy to share that we’ve got our hands on a few bottles from Vincent Giraudon so that you can get a glimpse of what this little-known area is all about. Vincent farms a tiny parcel and vinifies with his good friend Romain Paire, whose Domaine Pothiers is one of the most visible reference points for the Côte Roannaise. He’s a young winemaker drawing eyes back to the region with his minimal intervention approach and elegant results.

Delicious, drinkable Gamay gets a stony mineral backbone from the granite studded soils of Côte Roannaise. This is classic Gamay through a crisp new lens — it’s pure pleasure to drink, and reminds us of the audacious, natural Beaujolais winemakers we know and love. Bright violets and berries jump out of the glass.

We don’t get a lot of Julienas in the shop — and we definitely don’t sell a lot of cru Beaujolais for under $35. And still, here is Soeur Cadette’s Julienas, a fresh take on Gamay that brings elegance and grace to the typically fun and crunchy style. This bottle will hit you with loads of sunny red fruit, followed by a wave of barely ripe raspberries and that essential black stone minerality.

Valentin Montanet’s family has been estate-bottling their wine in Burgundy since the 1990s. Before that, they were a part of the local co-op. It was something of a power move, to split off and do their own thing. But they believed their organically farmed vineyards would show up best if they weren’t mixed up with grapes from all over the region.

When weather ruined the 2016 Burgundy harvest, Valentin turned disaster into opportunity by acting on a long-held dream: to make Beaujolais. His first vintage with purchased fruit was distinctly Burgundian. Delicious, but of another place. In the last few years, he’s begun to hit the bullseye. The thread of Burgundy is still there, in the graceful quality that permeates this bottle, but it’s all crunch and fruit and minerality. This is definitive Beaujolais.

You know the gang by now–Lapierre, Foillard, and Breton. These guys banded up in their twenties to (help) change the world of French wine, natural wine, and Beaujolais forever. But the name Thévenet, the fourth gang of Four member, rarely gets mentioned. That's partially because Jean-Paul makes far less wine than the others. The single wine he makes, perhaps the most elegant and long-lived expression of Morgon I've ever tasted is a true study on that lovely village. It is high-toned, zesty, and lightly funk in its youth, and can age like great Burgundy–if, unlike me, you have the patience to wait. I've gone through chilled bottle after chilled bottle this summer. If you love Beaujolais and haven't yet experienced Thévenet's rendition, now's the time to do it!

Jean-Louis Dutraive is a definite name to know in the Beaujolais wine region. He has been making some of the most pure expressions of Gamay since 1977. This particular bottle is silky smooth with notes of wild berries, fresh herbs, and violets. Drink often and with friends.

Bertrand comes from a lineage of winemakers in Fleurie and is coming up with the new generation of Beaujolais makers. “Les Bambins” translates to “the kids” (bambinos) in reference to him becoming a father in 2017. Blue volcanic rock and volcanic schist make this bottling a study in terroir of Cru Beaujolais.

Coming from a family of vignerons, Yann Bertrand is bringing a fresh take on the great wines of cru Beaujolais. He may be young, but with the guidance of the masters, he’s rising to the top of the  new generation of Beaujolais producers at lightning speed.