Jean Foillard

Their methods were a return to the old practices of viticulture and vinification of their forefathers, focusing on old vines, organic/biodynamic farming, late harvests, and a rigorous sorting resulted in grapes that had the potential to produce world class wines. In the winery, they were very restrained in their use of sulfur and never chaptalized or filtered the wines. The results changed the way that world thought about Morgon, and in turn Beaujolais as a whole. The wines are earthy, structured, mineral driven and ageworthy.

The estate is roughly 14 hectares, and the wines are produced using old neutral barrels, sourced from top estates in Burgundy. Jean’s wines tend to follow more of the Burgundian model for Gamay. While structured and mineral-driven, they are also incredibly drinkable in their youth. His “Cuvee Courcelette” comes from 80-year-old vines planted on sandstone, goes through traditional whole cluster fermentation, then through elevage in a 30HL neutral barrel. It is floral, with a refined texture and tannins more elegant than you might expect. Jean’s Morgon “Cote du Py” is pulled from a range of sites, ranging from schist, granite, and manganese with vines aging from 10-90 years old. This wine goes through whole cluster fermentation and elevage in neutral oak barrels, resulting in a significant tannic structure that meanwhile maintains an approachable and easy fruit profile. The Morgon “Les Charmes Eponym” comes from the highest altitude vineyard in the appellation, and is planted on Schist, Granite, and Manganese with a vine age of 45 years. The grapes are whole cluster fermented with elevage occuring in neutral oak barrels. It is the most high-toned wine that the domaine produces, and while the tannins are firm, the elegance of the wine is driven by the acidity that is the clear hallmark of this site.