Brouilly is the largest and furthest south of the Beaujolais crus. It has a good south eastern exposure, at the bottom of the Saône Valley at an altitude of 200 to 300 metres. The subsoil consists of granite debris and blue-tinged schist. This also ranked the full 5 stars in my abbreviated-for-iPad rating system! Immediately exuberant, with a diverse array of floral notes, theres also some white pepper and crushed cherry notes. Gamay varietal by Dominique Piron.

A cherry bon-bon on the nose, Estate Vineyards Gamay Noir entices with fresh raspberry, juicy strawberry and sweet, red, toffee-apple. Cherry-red with a vibrant purple edge, gamays soft tannins give the palate moreish balance and weight. Flecks of aniseed and baking spices run through to the long finish. Delicious with depth, sippable with substance, has character and charm, as well as oodles of red fruit freshness and immediate appeal. 'Delightfully refreshing red, with crisp flavours of strawberry, violet, raspberry, cherry and a bit of rosemary. Lighter in body and tannin, it's dry with a pleasant, crisp finish.' - Darren Oleksyn, Calgary Herald, April 2018

The 2017 is a smoky and juicy dark cherry-and-raspberry-noted wine with sappy freshness and a nice, crunchy finish. "The late Marcel Lapierre once said of Beaujolais, Ça se bois sous la douche. (Its a wine you can drink under the shower). While this captures the simple deliciousness of much Beaujolais, it doesnt do justice to the wines being produced by the finest artisans like Pierre-Marie Chermette. Of the wines of Domaine du Vissoux we would be more likely to say, Il est trop bon pour être bu sous la douche! Its too damn good to be drunk in the shower! Beaujolais can be the most joyful, compelling and life-affirming of wines. Yet in the hands of a master it can also be a wonderfully refined, long-lived Burgundy. Domaine du Vissoux is a producer capable of fashioning such wines. This is why their wines can be found in many of Frances finest restaurants and why Vissoux remains the highest-rated Beaujolais producer in the leading French wine guide, Les Meilleurs Vins de France. Owners Pierre-Marie and Martine Chermette were among the first in Beaujolais to use sustainable agricultural practices, shunning the use of any chemicals in the vineyard and encouraging as much life in the soil as possible. They prune hard to keep yields low, harvest by hand when the grapes are fully ripe and regularly carry out green harvests to further reduce the yields and ensure full ripeness for the harvest. The wines are made with minimal intervention: wild yeasts, minimal sulphur additions and no filtering if possible. Ageing is in traditional up-to-the-ceiling, neutral oak casks."

Te Mata Gamay Noir has notes of red candy-apple and hints of ripe strawberry. The palate is saturated raspberry; juicy and sustained with silky, round tannins, accompanied by a fine dusting of liquorice and white pepper. Red-ripe fruit, crunchy acidity, and a fresh and intense style. Match with spicy cuisines.

Out of the shadow and into the light steps our Ombre Gamay; ready and poised to take centre stage. Historically cast in the shadow of its varietal neighbour Pinot Noir, Gamay is enjoying a timely moment in the sun. Vibrant in hue and exuberant in youthful personality, this wine delivers juicy red berry fruits on the nose with subtle spice and fine tannins on the palate.

Vignoble Aucoeur is the oldest family domain of the Morgon village, in the heart of Beaujolais. Arnaud Aucoeur has been voted 2020 Winemaker of the Year. Located on siliceous and clay soil, granite sandstone and gravels, Saint Amour is at the crossroads between the Mâconnais and the Beaujolais Crus. With a bright deep garnet colour, the “Saint Amour cru” is fleshy and concentrated, supported by silky tannins. It blossoms harmoniously on the mouth, with aromas of cassis and blackberries.

Vignoble Aucoeur is the oldest family domain of the Morgon village, in the heart of Beaujolais. Arnaud Aucoeur has been voted 2020 Winemaker of the Year by the famous Guide Hachette in France. To perpetuate the legacy of his ancestors, Arnaud makes some of his wines, including his famous “Moulin à vent”, in wooden containers. Barrels, tons and semi-casks are all housed on the farm. The grapes are manually-harvested from vines of about fifty years exclusively from Gamay grapes. This Fleurie seduces with its finesse and silky texture. Bright ruby color, it offers a rich creaminess, elegance, floral and fruity aromas.

Vignoble Aucoeur is the oldest family domain of the Morgon village, in the heart of Beaujolais. Arnaud Aucoeur has been voted 2020 Winemaker of the Year by the famous Guide Hachette in France. To perpetuate the legacy of his ancestors, Arnaud makes some of his wines, including his famous “Moulin à vent”, in wooden containers. Barrels, tons and semi-casks are all housed on the farm. The grapes are manually-harvested from vines of about fifty years, exclusively from Gamay grapes. This Fleurie seduces with its finesse and silky texture. Bright ruby color, it offers a rich creaminess, elegance, floral and fruity aromas.Combining Richness with a perfumed fruitiness, this wine has fine tannins and layers of juicy blackberry fruits. It shows both the structured and the fruity side of the appellation in a balanced framework.

Vignoble Aucoeur is the oldest family domain of the Morgon village, in the heart of Beaujolais. Arnaud Aucoeur has been voted 2020 Winemaker of the Year. This cuvée is in honor of the first winemaker of the Aucoeur family, born in Villié Morgon in 1825. Emblem of their know-how and their family heritage, this Morgon combines richness with a perfumed fruitiness. It has fine tannins and layers of juicy blackberry fruits. It shows both the structured and the fruity side of the appellation in a balanced framework, and is the perfect expression of tradition combined with modernity.

Vignoble Aucoeur is the oldest family domain of the Morgon village, in the heart of Beaujolais. Arnaud Aucoeur has been voted 2020 Winemaker of the Year by the famous Guide Hachette in France. Delimited in 1924, the “Moulin à Vent” vineyard is mainly made up of shallow granite soils. Rich in manganese, this terroir brings a lot of richness to the wine. The wines are often compared with their cousins of the Côte d’Or in Burgundy. This wine offers a pleasant and balanced nose. It is warm, ripe and powerful on the mouth, with black-currant flavours, and supported with beautiful tannins.