Gamay Wine

Marcel Lapierre Raisins Gaulois VdP de Gaul Organic 2025

Marcel Lapierre is one of the founding fathers of the natural wine movement in Beaujolais, and Raisins Gaulois is his most joyful, approachable expression. Sourced from 60-year-old Gamay vines on granitic soils, the 2025 is vinified without sulfur using semi-carbonic maceration — the result is a wine that is pure, vibrant, and made to be drunk with abandon. Think red cherries, clementine zest, and a whisper of earth, with silky tannins and a refreshing finish. Serve slightly chilled.

• Producer: Marcel Lapierre
• Grape: 100% Gamay
• Region: VdP de Gaul, Beaujolais, France
• Vintage: 2025
• Size: 750ml
• Farming: Certified Organic, No Added Sulfur
• Vinification: Semi-carbonic maceration, 4–6 days; 2 months in cuve before release
• Alcohol: 12.5%

Pairs beautifully with roasted cod, coq au vin, prawn dumplings with sweet chilli sauce, or your next backyard barbecue.

Domaine Jean Foillard Beaujolais Villages Organic 2024

Jean Foillard is at the pinnacle of Beaujolais winemakers. Serve chilled to 64°F — about 20 minutes in the fridge!

Jean Foillard is one of the Gang of Four — the legendary quartet of Beaujolais producers who, alongside Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton, and Jean-Paul Thévenet, helped define the natural wine movement in the 1980s. His Beaujolais Villages is sourced from Gamay parcels across Villié-Morgon, Lancié, Saint-Amour, and Saint-Étienne-la-Varenne, farmed organically and vinified with minimal intervention. The 2024 is everything you want from Foillard: sensuous red fruit, mouthwatering acidity, low alcohol, and a silky, dreamy finish that makes you reach for another glass.

• Producer: Domaine Jean Foillard
• Grape: Gamay
• Region: Beaujolais Villages, France
• Vintage: 2024
• Size: 750ml
• Farming: Certified Organic, Natural Winemaking

Pairs beautifully with charcuterie, roast chicken, grilled salmon, or a classic Lyonnaise bouchon spread. Serve slightly chilled.

Julien Sunier is one of Beaujolais' most celebrated natural winemakers, known for producing wines of exceptional purity, precision, and terroir expression. Working from his base in the Beaujolais crus, Sunier farms all of his fruit organically and approaches winemaking with a philosophy of minimal intervention — allowing the Gamay grape and the land to speak for themselves. Wild Soul is his ‘anytime red’: a wine conceived for pure, effortless pleasure, and a perfect introduction to his singular style.

The 2024 Wild Soul is sourced from 4.5 hectares of organically farmed vineyards in Régnié, with the addition, for the first time, of some declassified Morgon and Fleurie — making this effectively a Beaujolais Cru blend in all but name. The vineyards sit at high altitude (400 meters), where cooler temperatures and granitic soils produce Gamay of exceptional freshness, aromatic vibrancy, and natural tension.

Vinification follows Sunier's signature approach: cold carbonic maceration without extraction, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and maturation in 3,000-liter foudres on fine lees. Only 10mg/L of SO₂ is added just prior to bottling, and the wine is released unfiltered — preserving every nuance of the fruit and terroir.

The 2024 opens with an open, expressive bouquet of cranberry, tomato vine, and subtle ferrous notes — complex and well-defined for a Beaujolais-Villages. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, poised, and transparent, with fine tannins, lively acidity, and a tensile, persistent finish. Pure, vibrant Gamay at its most compelling. Best served slightly chilled.

"Open and expressive bouquet with cranberry and touches of tomato vine, very well defined and complex for a Beaujolais-Villages… The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very poised and transparent, with a tensile and quite persistent finish. Excellent."
— Vinous, 89 Points. (Vintage 2024). 

Grape: Gamay
Region: Beaujolais, France
Appellation: Beaujolais Villages
Vintage: 2024
Farming: Certified Organic
Altitude: ~400 meters
Élevage: 3,000L foudres; unfiltered; 10mg/L SO₂
Bottle Size: 750ml

Pairing: Charcuterie, pâté, roast chicken, duck confit, mushroom dishes, and earthy lentil stews. Serve slightly chilled.

Domaine de la Grosse Pierre — Chiroubles, Beaujolais 2024

Pauline Passot’s story is one of the most compelling in Beaujolais. A trained sommelier who worked at the Michelin-starred Pierre Orsi in Lyon, she returned to her family’s roots in Chiroubles in 2016 with a clear mission: to show the world what this underrated Cru could do. Her principal holding is the La Grosse Pierre parcel — classic rose granite soils, 45-year-old vines — vinified whole-cluster in open carbonic maceration, aged in concrete, unfiltered, with little or no sulfites. This is Beaujolais made with the seriousness of a grand cru and the soul of a grower who believes in her terroir.

The nose is vibrant and expressive: red and black cherries, delicate floral notes, and a hint of vine smoke. On the palate, it is light to medium-bodied with silky texture, lively energy, and juicy fruit carried by fine tannins. The finish is clean, elegant, and unmistakably Chiroubles — the most perfumed and ethereal of all the Beaujolais Crus.

• Producer: Domaine de la Grosse Pierre (Pauline Passot), Chiroubles, Beaujolais, France
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Chiroubles AOC, Beaujolais
• Grape: Gamay
• Soils: Rose granite
• Vines: Average 45 years
• Vinification: Whole-cluster carbonic maceration, aged in concrete, unfiltered, minimal sulfites
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Red cherry, black cherry, floral lift, vine smoke, silky texture, juicy finish
• Best Paired With: Roast chicken, charcuterie, grilled salmon, mushroom dishes, soft cheeses

Chiroubles at its most soulful — Pauline Passot’s La Grosse Pierre is the Cru Beaujolais that rewards those paying attention.

Marcel Lapierre · Morgon, Beaujolais, France · 2024 · 750ml

Marcel Lapierre Morgon Cuvée S Organic 2024 showcases Gamay from one of Beaujolais’s cru appellations. Morgon’s granitic soils provide the backdrop for a wine whose existing tasting notes highlight red berries, fresh acidity, and an earthy thread.

Producer & Terroir

Lapierre’s organic approach and low-intervention winemaking, including fermentation with indigenous yeasts. This Morgon balances fruit character with the structure and freshness that make it an inviting companion at the table.

Tasting Notes

Raspberry and cherry aromas meet hints of minerality and spice. The palate is vibrant, with smooth tannins, fresh acidity, and herbal nuances, leading to a long, fresh finish with subtle earthy notes.

Expert Review - Vintage 2024

Neal Martin, Vinous, 90–92 Points · 2024 Morgon, barrel sample: The 2024 Morgon that I tasted from barrel came from the first and third pickings. There is plenty of vivacious white-tipped strawberry and Morello cherry on the nose. The palate is lively and very citrus-driven with red cherries, orange zest, noticeably "punchy" acidity and a chalky finish.

Pairing Suggestions

Pair with charcuterie, roast chicken, or roasted meats. Mushroom dishes are another serving suggestion for exploring its earthy nuances.

Details

• Producer: Marcel Lapierre
• Cuvée: S
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Morgon
• Region: Beaujolais
• Country: France
• Grape: Gamay
• Farming: Organic, as identified in the listing
• Bottle size: 750ml

Vibrant red fruit and fresh structure for a versatile table wine.

Chateau Thivin Côte de Brouilly 2024 · Beaujolais, France · 750ml

Producer Description

It is no surprise that Château Thivin is the benchmark domaine of the Côte de Brouilly; everything about it is exceptional. Built in the fifteenth century on an ancient volcano which juts out steeply into the valley below, Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly. Even more important, however, is its tremendous success since farmer Zaccharie Geoffray purchased the château with its two hectares of land at auction in 1877. His son Claude expanded the property over the next few decades, and his son, also named Claude, boosted the prestige of the zone in the face of the Great Depression when he played a pivotal role in the creation of the Côte de Brouilly appellation. With his wife Yvonne, he also helped to bring greater recognition to the entire region with the establishment of the Maison du Beaujolais in 1953. Over the years the family continued to promote the appellation, receiving many influential artists and journalists at the château. The French novelist, Colette, wrote admiringly of her visit to Thivin, for example. In 1976, Richard Olney took Kermit to visit on their first wine trip together. It was Olney’s top recommendation in the whole of the Beaujolais region. The current generation of the Geoffray family continues their tradition. Today their grandnephew Claude, his wife Evelyne, and their son Claude-Edouard continue the tradition as staunch and proud defenders of the terroir of the Côte de Brouilly.

Vineyards and Winemaking

Thivin’s Côte de Brouilly parcels are predominantly south-facing and are planted entirely with Gamay vines that average 50 years of age. The soil is plowed and composted regularly while cover crops are left between some rows to encourage microbiotic activity. Absolutely no insecticides are used. On a slope with a grade of 48% and crumbly surface, implementing these techniques is essential to safeguard the soil from erosion, but it isn’t easy! Each section of the vineyard is harvested and vinified separately to preserve the unique characteristics afforded by variations in exposure and altitude. Even the estate’s vineyards in the Brouilly appellation are planted on a moderately steep hillside of decomposed pink granite, while most of the appellation is planted on the flat valley floor. Traditional whole-cluster fermentation keeps the characteristic fruity qualities of Gamay, after which the grapes are transferred to cuves by gravity without being crushed. Each vintage spends a few months in large oak foudres before bottling.

Kermit: “…a country squire who is not afraid to get his boots muddy. Handsome, virile, earthy, and an aristocrat.”

Winemaker Description

The Côte’s signature minerality is at the forefront, offering crunchy, smoky nuances from the very first sip. Alcohol is low (13.5 percent), the Gamay fruit is pure and bright, and aromas of purple flowers and herbs round out its delightful complexity.

Details

• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Vintage: 2024
• Region: Beaujolais, France
• Appellation: Côte de Brouilly
• Grape: Gamay
• Type: Red
• Farming: Sustainable

Domaine des Terres Dorées · L’Ancien Vieilles Vignes · Beaujolais · 2024

Jean-Paul Brun’s L’Ancien Vieilles Vignes 2024 is an old-vine Gamay from southern Beaujolais, offering fresh fruit, silky texture, and lively acidity. Juicy, elegant wine with the depth and concentration of mature vines.

Producer & Terroir

Jean-Paul Brun is based in Charnay, in the southern Beaujolais area known as the Terres Dorées, or “Golden Stones.” His family estate favors traditional winemaking and indigenous yeasts to preserve the expression of Gamay and its vineyard origins.

The listing describes mature vines approximately 40–60 years old, with clay, limestone, and granite soils contributing brightness and mineral character. Farming is identified as organic.

Tasting Notes

Black cherry, raspberry, and ripe strawberry aromas are joined by subtle spice, earth, and licorice. Juicy fruit carries through the palate, framed by silky tannins and lively acidity, before a fresh, elegant finish.

Pairing & Serving

Serve slightly chilled with charcuterie, roast chicken, pork, burgers, or grilled meats. Salmon, mushrooms, and soft or semi-firm cheeses are additional pairings suggested in the existing listing.

Details

• Producer: Domaine des Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun
• Cuvée: L’Ancien Vieilles Vignes
• Vintage: 2024
• Grape: 100% Gamay
• Region: Beaujolais, France
• Vines: Approximately 40–60 years old, according to the existing listing
• Farming: Organic, as identified in the listing
• Bottle size: 750ml

A fresh, fruit-driven Beaujolais for everyday meals and relaxed gatherings.

Domaine Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py Organic — Beaujolais 2024

Jean Foillard is one of the founding members of Beaujolais’s legendary Gang of Four — alongside Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy Breton — the group of vignerons who, inspired by the teachings of Jules Chauvet, staged a quiet revolution against the industrial Beaujolais of the 1980s. Their manifesto: old vines, no synthetic herbicides or pesticides, late harvesting, rigorous sorting, minimal sulfur, no chaptalization, no filtration. The result is Morgon as it was always meant to be — structured, mineral, and age-worthy, with none of the bubblegum and banana aromas that plagued the region’s commercial wines. Jean and Agnès Foillard farm nearly 14 hectares, most of them on the Côte du Py — the famed granite and schist slope above Villié-Morgon that is the pride of the appellation. Vinous awarded the 2024 Côte du Py 92 points.

The nose is serious and mineral: earthy stone, plum, red and black fruit, and black tea leaves with crushed stone. On the palate, the wine is fresh and lively on entry, with a skip in its step — a Côte du Py with energy and precision, finishing with an assiduous sprinkle of white pepper and a long, harmonious close. Jean raises his wines in older Burgundy barrels, lending a velvety lushness that makes them irresistible young despite their considerable aging potential.

Vinous 92 — "A mélange of red and black fruit, black tea leaves and crushed stone. Fresh and lively on the entry, a Côte du Py with a skip in its step and an assiduous sprinkling of white pepper towards the harmonious finish." (Vintage 2024). 

• Producer: Domaine Jean Foillard, Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais, France
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Morgon, Beaujolais
• Vineyard: Côte du Py — granite and schist soils
• Varietal: 100% Gamay
• Farming: Certified Organic, no synthetic inputs, minimal sulfur, unfiltered
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Earthy stone, plum, red and black fruit, black tea, crushed stone, white pepper, velvety finish
• Cellar Potential: Drink now or cellar 5–10+ years
• Best Paired With: Roast chicken, duck confit, charcuterie, mushroom dishes, soft cheeses

A 92-point organic Morgon from one of Beaujolais’s most important estates — mineral, structured, and built to age.

Winemaker Description

Smoke, tar, and char on the nose along with stewed plums, blackberries, and figs. The palate is softer on the tongue than the nose might suggest. Berries and figs come through with a little black pepper and cinnamon. Woody tannins settle into the sides of the tongues and linger a little with a background of umami. Pair with game meats, bbq, honeyed hams, and dark chocolate.

Memo Summary Notes

• Complex bouquet of dark red and blue fruits (black cherry, black raspberry), floral notes (violets, potpourri), and earthy/mineral undertones.

• Palate: Full-bodied for a Beaujolais, with a seamless texture and a fleshy, concentrated core of fruit. Expect good acidity, subtle spice, and a tactile, mineral-driven finish. It has the structure to age for several years.

From over 50-year-old southwest-facing vines on sandy, granitic soils, La Croix des Rameaux is a rich and elegant Gamay made with close attention paid to managing extraction, so the wine maintains lift and energy.

Pair with

• Roast chicken or turkey (especially with herbs).

• Rich Dishes: Beef bourguignon, a savory mushroom risotto, or a hearty stew.

• Meats: Cured meats, lamb tongue, or any roast white meat.

• Casual: Gourmet pizza or dishes with red sauce.

Gamay | Morgon, Beaujolais / France
Vintage: 2024  |  Size: 750ml
Organic · Natural Fermentation · Unfiltered

Jean Foillard is a legend of the natural wine movement — a pioneering figure in Morgon who helped define what Beaujolais could be when farmed with care and made without compromise. His family tends fourteen hectares in the heart of Morgon with a non-interventionist philosophy: organic viticulture, spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, whole-bunch vinification, and bottling unfiltered. The result is Gamay that is silky, structured, and unmistakably of its place.

The Corcelette cuvée comes from one of Morgon’s most prized sites. Grapes are harvested late and hand-selected in the vineyard, then fermented as whole bunches for 2–3 weeks before aging 6–8 months in oak barrels. The 2024 is wonderfully characterful — brambly red fruit, hints of sous-bois and wilted rose petal on the nose, with impressive delineation. The palate is fresh and vibrant, with gentle grip, fine powdery texture, and a focused, slightly herbaceous tea-leaf finish. Very classy, and built to reward patience over the next four to six years.

“The 2024 Morgon Corcelette has a wonderful, characterful bouquet with brambly red fruit, hints of sous-bois and wilted rose petal. Impressive delineation. The palate is fresh and vibrant with gentle grip on the entry. Fine structure… focused. Very classy.”
— Vinous, 90 Points

“Silky and seductive, with notes of rose petals, red berries, and stones. With just the right amount of tannin and acidity, and lots of class, it is perfect for all occasions.”
— Tom Wolf, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

Pairs with: Roast chicken, duck confit, charcuterie, mushroom dishes, or a simple platter of French cheeses.

Guy Breton · Régnié · 2025

Guy Breton's Régnié offers bright fruit and floral aromas with a taut, fresh expression of Gamay. This organic cru Beaujolais combines the appeal of fragrant fruit with a lively sense of tension, making it an inviting red for the table.

Producer & Terroir

Known to his friends as P’tit Max, Guy Breton took over his family's domaine from his grandfather in 1986. Alongside Marcel Lapierre, Jean-Paul Thévenet and Jean Foillard, he became part of the group known as the Gang of Four, championing traditional viticulture and a less interventionist approach to Beaujolais.

Breton first produced Régnié in 2008. The cuvée combines 40% domaine fruit with 60% purchased fruit and is aged in equal parts used barrels and tank. Its vineyards bring together older and younger vines on shallow soils.

Tasting Profile

Bright fruit and floral aromatics are balanced by a slightly tauter, more tense side of Gamay. Freshness and aromatic lift give the wine an engaging character alongside food.

Importer Commentary · Vintage Not Specified

Tom Wolf: By now, it’s no secret that Guy Breton is a wizard of Gamay. The only question is which spell you want him to cast on you. Is his Morgon incantation your favorite, or do you prefer when he transfixes you with his delicate Chiroubles? If you haven’t fallen under the charms of Guy’s Régnié yet, pour yourself a glass and glance back at the empty bottle a little while later. Blending a century-old vineyard with another filled with thirty-five-year-old vines, Guy taps into the shallow soil to draw out Gamay’s slightly more taut and tense side, balancing out the bright fruit and floral aromas beautifully.

Pairing & Serving Suggestions

Serve lightly chilled with roast chicken, charcuterie, mushroom dishes or a simple lentil salad. Its fresh profile makes it a versatile choice for a shared meal.

Details

• Producer: Guy Breton
• Vintage: 2025
• Country: France
• Region: Beaujolais
• Appellation: Régnié
• Grape: Gamay
• Type: Red wine / Cru Beaujolais
• Farming: Organic
• Fruit sourcing: 40% domaine, 60% purchased
• Aging: 50% used barrels, 50% tank
• Bottle size: 750ml

Domaine Thillardon · Vibrations · Chénas, Beaujolais · 2024

Domaine Thillardon, founded in 2008 by Paul-Henri Thillardon in Chénas, in the north of Beaujolais , embodies the energy of a new generation of committed winegrowers, in love with their terroir and resolutely turned towards a living viticulture. Joined by his brother Charles, the duo now cultivates a dozen hectares biodynamically, on the most beautiful granite and clay-siliceous terroirs of Chénas and Moulin-à-Vent.

A holistic and regenerative approach to the vine.  Animals, agroforestry and biodiversity in action
Committed to a holistic approach to the vine, they have reintroduced animals into the estate's ecosystem—cows, pigs, horses, poultry—and practice agroforestry to enrich biodiversity and regenerate the soil.

Manual work and natural winemaking without additives.  The vines are worked by horse, the grapes are harvested by hand, then vatted in whole bunches by gravity, without any oenological input . The vinifications are gentle, without pumping over or punching down, followed by patient aging in concrete vats or old barrels, without filtration or sulfur added at bottling.

Vibrant, deep and emblematic Gamay vintages The result: wines of great purity, vibrant, with silky textures and nuanced expressions of Gamay.  Domaine Thillardon is today an essential reference for lovers of precise, sincere natural wines deeply rooted in their terroir.

Domaine Thillardon Vibrations is a lively, fresh Beaujolais blending Chénas terroirs. Bright red fruit and silky tannins give this Gamay an inviting, fluid character for relaxed meals and easygoing gatherings.

Producer & Origins

The four Thillardon siblings, three brothers and one sister, combine winemaking with a homesteading life, raising livestock and growing vegetables. Their work in Chénas highlights the diversity of this lesser-known corner of Beaujolais.

Tasting Notes

The existing Vibrations note emphasizes freshness, bright red fruit, and silky tannins. Its lightness and fluidity make it a wine to explore with a slight chill and a simple meal.

Editorial Note

Tom Wolf: The four Thillardon siblings—three brothers and one sister—are homesteaders. They raise livestock, grow their own vegetables, and make wine from the gnarled, untrained Gamay vines that grow behind their home. Vibrations, which is a blend of Chénas terroirs, is a lively and fresh Beaujolais, with bright red fruit and silky tannins. Vive la révolution!

Pairing Suggestions

Try with charcuterie, roast chicken, grilled vegetables, or a mushroom tart. Serve slightly chilled as a serving suggestion to explore its fresh fruit character.

Details

• Producer: Domaine Thillardon
• Cuvée: Vibrations
• Vintage: 2024
• Appellation: Chénas
• Region: Beaujolais
• Country: France
• Grape: Gamay
• Bottle size: 750ml

Fresh red fruit and silky texture from a blend of Chénas terroirs.

Château des Jacques · Moulin-à-Vent · Clos de Rochegrès · 2023

Clos de Rochegrès is a single-vineyard Gamay from old vines spanning 24 acres in Moulin-à-Vent. Shallow granitic soils over hard bedrock provide the setting for a generous wine with floral character, mineral nuances, and elegant, lasting tannins.

Producer & Terroir

Château des Jacques approaches each vineyard parcel according to its history, soils, location, and vines rather than applying a single dogmatic method. The estate’s existing account describes 69 hectares primarily in Moulin-à-Vent, Morgon, and Fleurie, with continual questioning and improvement at the center of its work.

Winemaking

A portion of the grapes is destemmed before vinification in closed vats with pumping over. The wine then matures in oak barrels for 10–11 months.

Tasting Notes

Rose and peony aromas and flavors meet a mineral accent. The palate is generous, with elegant, long-lasting tannins. The accompanying review highlights black fruit, bright acidity, white pepper, and a saline touch on the finish.

Expert Review

Kenna Wells, Wine Advocate, 91 Points · 2023: Full-bodied and with bright acidity, the wine is sappy with black-fruited flavors, toned and lifted by hints of white pepper and a touch of salt, especially noticeable on the finish. The tannins are sizable yet well-spaced, contributing to the wine’s considerable depth.

Pairing & Cellaring

Pair with red meats in sauce, venison, other game, or cheeses. The supplied product notes suggest enjoyment now or cellaring for 10–20 years, with appropriate storage.

Details

• Producer: Château des Jacques
• Vineyard: Clos de Rochegrès
• Vintage: 2023
• Appellation: Moulin-à-Vent
• Region: Beaujolais, France
• Grape: 100% Gamay
• Vines: Old vines
• Soils: Shallow granite over hard bedrock
• Aging: 10–11 months in oak barrels
• Bottle size: 750ml
• Review: Wine Advocate, 91 Points

A structured single-vineyard Moulin-à-Vent with floral detail and generous depth.