Winemaker Notes

That a wine this stupendously delicious could be so very, very, inexpensive, is what Beaujolais is all about - a region that delivers world-class wines that sell for prices that make you scratch your head and say, "Huh?" The amount of work that goes into this "humble" Beaujolais Village is staggering. Richard farms organically, which means much more tractor-time and handwork during the growing season to keep the vines healthy and disease at bay. He picks entirely by hand (machine harvest is more normal at this level), layers the whole-cluster fruit in fermenters, and ages the wine in used French oak for around 6 months. It smells and tastes of fresh fruits and summer flowers, fills your mouth without weight (just 12.0% alcohol), and delivers a long, lip-smacking, finish. From vines just behind Richard's house, touching the boundary of the Moulin-a-Vent appellation, this is simply brilliant value.