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A beautifully expressive Sauvignon Blanc from one of Chavignol’s most historic vineyards, Gérard Boulay’s Clos de Beaujeu captures the depth, energy and mineral character that make this corner of Sancerre so distinctive.

The Boulay family’s winegrowing roots in Chavignol date back to 1380. Gérard has farmed organically since 1990, tending steep hillside vineyards with a meticulous, hands-on approach. His small Clos de Beaujeu parcel lies within the vineyard’s original medieval boundaries, where mature vines grow in rocky, limestone-rich soils scattered with fossils. These demanding slopes yield one of the domaine’s most structured and ageworthy wines.

The 2024 combines concentrated fruit with lively freshness. Citrus and orchard-fruit notes meet a pronounced stony minerality, while savory nuances add complexity. There is substance and texture on the palate, balanced by bright acidity and a long, focused finish—a compelling expression of Sauvignon Blanc with both immediate appeal and the structure to develop beautifully in the cellar.

Expert Rating

Vinous 92 Points: "excellent tension and chalkiness this is all about texture, structure and line... reveals an innate power, demonstrating precision and balance". 

Natural fermentation and aging in neutral wood reflect Boulay’s restrained approach in the cellar, allowing the vineyard’s character to lead. The result is a Sancerre of precision, depth and individuality.

Pair with seared scallops, roast fish, lobster or classic Loire Valley goat cheese. Give it time to open in the glass when young, or cellar it to discover the additional complexity that makes Boulay’s single-vineyard wines so rewarding.

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

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

The Wine Enthusiast 94 Points | From a small 20-acre estate in the southern part of the prestigious Pauillac appellation, Bellegrave has produced a richly structured wine. Black-currant and toast aromas from the Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend give the wine richness and dense, concentrated black fruits.

James Suckling 94 Points | A nice smoky layer to the fresh blackcurrants, cedar and graphite. This shows the Pauillac structure and demureness with an appealing touch of dark, ashy fruit and a lead-pencil note. Full-bodied, the palate is packed with dusty, fine-grained tannins. Excellent length and verticality here. It will become even more resolved and long.

The Wine Spectator 93 Points | This is a dark and sleek offering, with gently mulled black currant and blackberry fruit dusted with a cocoa note and gilded with violet and dried anise accents. A light kiss of singed cedar underscores the fresh finish.

Memo Summary Notes

The 2022 Chateau Bellegrave Pauillac is a standout vintage from this boutique 20-acre estate, which sits in a prestigious neighborhood between legendary neighbors like Chateau Latour and Lynch-Bages.

Pair with 

Best served with roasted lamb, a thick ribeye with rosemary, or a mushroom-heavy risotto.

Our Professional Review

Giusto Occhipinti of COS is a benchmark producer in the Vittoria appellation of Sicily — and one of the most important, influential winemakers in all of Italy. Founded in 1980 by three friends (Giambattista Cilia, Giusto Occhipinti, and Cirino Strano — whose initials form the winery name), COS has never used synthetic or chemical additives in the vineyard. Certified organic since 2007 and biodynamic since 2000, their Frappato is Sicily’s answer to Cru Beaujolais: joyous, floral, and built on elegance and purity.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2024

James Suckling — 94 Points (Nov 2025): “Overt and spicy, showing elegant black-pepper aromas with black cherries, leather and earthy notes. Vinous and juicy. Medium-bodied, it shines with lightness, offering a silky texture and fragrant, crunchy tannins well-tamed and sustained by crisp acidity. Delicious. Drink now.”

Decanter — 90 Points (Apr 2026): “Cherry compote, basil and sage meet pepper, thyme and star anise. Bright, dark fruit energy and earthy smoke follow; grainy tannins add structure, and the finish is rustic, meaty and joyful.”

Tasting Notes

Vibrant and aromatic with bright red fruit flavors of cherry and strawberry. Low tannins, fresh acidity, and a silky, light-bodied texture make this an effortlessly drinkable expression of Sicily’s most charming indigenous grape.

Pairings: Charcuterie, grilled fish, roasted vegetables, light pasta dishes, or a slight chill for summer sipping.

Product Details

• Vintage: 2024
• Varietal: Frappato
• Appellation: Terre Siciliane, Sicily
• Region: Sicily, Italy
• Farming: Certified Organic & Biodynamic
• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Producer: Azienda Agricola COS (Giusto Occhipinti)

Smoking Goose Rosette de Lyon — Indianapolis, Indiana

The Rosette de Lyon is part of Smoking Goose’s Old School Salumi series — a line dedicated to the great European cured meat traditions, made with the integrity and craft that has defined this Indianapolis butcher shop since its founding. The Rosette is Lyon’s most celebrated salami: a coarsely ground pork sausage seasoned with organic red wine, garlic, and black peppercorns, then slow-cured in the traditional French style. Smoking Goose sources with care and cures with patience, and the result is a salami that is deeply savory, beautifully balanced, and unmistakably Lyonnaise in character. At 3oz pre-sliced, it is ready for the board.

The slices are richly marbled with a firm, satisfying bite and an aroma that is garlicky, peppery, and faintly winey from the organic red wine in the cure. On the palate, the pork is clean and full-flavored, the garlic is present but not aggressive, and the black pepper adds a gentle warmth that carries through a long, savory finish. Classic, honest, and deeply delicious.

• Producer: Smoking Goose Meatery, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
• Style: Rosette de Lyon — French-style coarse-ground pork salami, pre-sliced
• Key Ingredients: Pork, organic red wine, garlic, black peppercorns
• Series: Old School Salumi
• Size: 3oz, pre-sliced
• Tasting Notes: Savory pork, garlic, black pepper, faint red wine, rich marbling, long finish
• Best Paired With: Dijon mustard, cornichons, aged Comté or Gruyère, crusty baguette, Beaujolais, or a light Burgundy

Old school craft, new world execution — Smoking Goose’s Rosette de Lyon is the benchmark for what American-made French-style salami can be.