The Wine.

A beautifully made, bright and aromatic Fleurie; medium bodied (full-ish for Beaujolais though), juicy, minerally and fragrant.

The Estate.

Grégoire describes his wines as ‘sans fard’ (without makeup), meaning he does not pretty them up with any winery chicanery (acidifying, adding sugar etc), and he relies on native yeasts to start fermentation, rather than adding a particular bought strain. This is so his wines are an accurate representation of vintage and place.

His Fleurie ‘Clos de l'Amandier’ comes from a single vineyard in the climat of Poncié. The vines are 15 to 30 years old and the site is undergoing conversion to organic. Harvesting is done by hand by Grégoire, his family and a small band of pickers.

The Appellation.

Fleurie is one of the 10 Crus in the rolling hills of Northern Beaujolais. Gamay is the only red grape allowed and the wines tend to be silkier and more floral than those from the other Crus.

Alcohol: 12.5%.

Vintage report: A wet winter followed by a hot, dry summer resulted in highly drinkable, ripe and fresh reds with moderate alcohol levels.

Drinking window: 2021 – 2024.

Food matching: Delicious with roast chicken or steak frites.