Widely known as “The Queen of Beaujolais” the Cru of Fleurie is set on the steep slopes at the foot of La Madone. 90% of the soil here is pink granitic, which is dry & acidic and creates these wonderfully lifted wines that are elegantly floral and still ripe and juicy. Breton has done it again.
Laura Lardy Beaujolais Villages La Gourde A Gamay 2020
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!
Coming from the oldest estate on Mount Brouilly, this rosé of Gamay is year after year a celebrated favorite by the Dedalus staff. The playful attitude of Gamay in harmony with the ancient volcanic soils of this region make for a joyful experience for those who reach for this bottle.
Jean Louis Dutraive Fleurie Le Clos de la Grand Cour' 2020
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.
Marcel Lapierre helped launch the natural wine movement with his quest to produce delicious, highly drinkable Gamay without sulphur or chemicals. The estate has since set the standard for proper natural wine. The winemaking is now done by his son Mathieu & remains lively, fresh, and exuberant.
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.
It should be said that there is boring, old Beaujolais Nouveau and there is delicious, slurpable, delightfully youthful Nouveau. Charmettes is the latter, with no fake banana aromas–just pure and simple delicious Gamay fruit. Enjoy it cool, enjoy it often, and with just about anything.
Like Laura Lardy, who comes from four generations of Beaujolais winemakers, this bottle is deeply connected to the ancestry of the land. ‘La Fayarde’ pays tribute to the ancient forests that once blanketed the landscape in the Chénas region of the Beaujolais. Its pronounced structure and distinct green-ness runs through Gamay’s classic bright fruit character to emulate the lush woods that preceded it.
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.
Guy Breton ’s cuvee “Marylou” is named for his daughter. The Gamay in this Beaujolais Villages is sourced from 45-year-old vines in Saint Joseph and surrounding subzones laden with granite and rocky soils - resulting in a wine that is filled with juicy red fruits, notes of violet, and profound minerality. Enjoy Cool!
For this cuvee, David uses fruit grown in the high-elevation hills of Lantignié-just a stone’s throw away from the cru of Régnié. While this is classified as ‘Beaujolais-Villages’ there is also a movement to promote the region to ‘cru’ status. Light, juicy, and imbued with an unmistakable sense of terroir.
This wine is made from Gamay sourced from farmers in Touraine, a subregion famous for mineral-driven Chenin Blanc and expressive Cabernet Franc. It is made with quality grapes, harvested by hand, without the use of chemicals, and no time in oak. For loyal Gamay drinkers, you’ll notice this wine drinks a bit richer than Beaujolais, but has a similar floral quality and drinkability.
Despite the domaine’s proximity to the Alps, these vineyards in the Savoie enjoy a surprisingly warm microclimate with southern sun exposure. This brings ripeness to the Gamay vines, along with freshness and brightness and we just cannot stop drinking it.
Guy Breton’s expertise started in his hometown of Morgon, but extends to the glorious, volcanic Côte de Brouilly appellation with a recent acquisition. Guy picks earlier than most, favoring freshness and elegance in his Beaujolais. This wine is floral, earthy, and oh so drinkable–yet with the complexity of truly fine wine. Enjoy it cool.
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.
As the son of world-renowned Beaujolais winemaker Jean-Paul Thévenet, Anthony Thévenet has the best possible mentor for his own projects. He continues to make Beaujolais that is unfined, unfiltered, and downright delicious. This village-level release is lovely and balanced, with flavors of red fruit and a glimpse of cocoa.
Tradition is an apt name for this bottle. This year, Charly joins his father, Jean-Paul Thévenet, in creating a singular take on the natural style of Beaujolais that the Gang of Four pioneered in the 1980s. It’s vibrant, serious, and also immensely fun. An intergenerational mashup worth sharing.
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.
Raphaël Saint-Cyr recently inherited his family's estate and immediately began the conversion to organic–making him the largest certified organic domaine in the Beaujolais. His wines emphasize simplicity, elegance, and drinkability–perfect for the quenching of summertime thirsts. Raphaël's Beaujolais Rosé was lithe, characterful, and frankly downright stunning for the price. It was a huge hit as well with classic cookout fare.
Before returning to the Beaujolais, Gregoire Hoppenot spent years honing his winemaking technique in the Rhône. His skill is apparent here: ‘Les Moriers’ is a highly sought-after vineyard parcel in Fleurie, and Hoppenot harnesses the ancient soils and full sun exposure to create power and brightness in the glass.
Domaine Jean Foillard is considered to be both mythical & legendary in nature, with a legacy that precedes him. His Morgon Côte du Py is a wild wine, with a vivaciousness you won’t be able to resist. You may even find some notes of citrus, dried rose petals & crushed violets.
Allocation Alert! Limit of 12 bottles per customer. Orders over 12 bottles will not be filled.
Jean Foillard, veritable master of Morgon terroir, is sourcing from the highest altitude lieu-dit in the appellation for this cuvée, resulting in one of his most structured and brooding wines. Though an absolute treat now, the acidity and crunchy tannins present point to a bright future.
All of the grapes for this cuvée comes from a lieu-dit named Mortperay that borders the neighboring cru of Fleurie. Rich fruit is on full display with a noticeable roundness thanks to 6 months aging in both casks and barrels. This is a wine for hearty fare and good times. Give it some air before drinking, and shoot for cellar temperature when serving.
Patrick Bouju does it all. He runs every aspect of the winery, from working in the vineyards by horse, to bottling, labeling, and bookkeeping, ensuring quality at every stop of the process. This hand-harvested Gamay is bright, juicy, and versatile.
