Wine

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!

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. 

Guy’s friends may call him “Petit Max”, but in the world of wine, he is quite the contrary. Breton is a major force in restoring the honor of Gamay in Beaujolais. This Morgon is his principle offering from 80-year-old vines, contributing a deeper complexity and structure to lush red fruits.

In 2018, David Chapel and Michel Smith of Domaine Chapel created the Smith-Chapel label to distinguish wines they make with organic fruit purchased in Beaujolais and nearby regions, as opposed to fruit they farm themselves. This bottling of Moulin-a-Vent is the first Beaujolais under the Smith-Chapel label. Since the beginning of their domaine in 2016, their wines have been quick to achieve cult status and this moulin a Vent will be no exception. 

Guy Breton is one of the “Gang of Four”, known for using more traditional methods of vinification. He excludes pesticides and uses little to no sulfur dioxide. This wine is made from vines 35-100 years old, grown on a bed of shallow stoney soil - creating a lush, red fruited Beaujolais driven by minerality.