Description
Jean Foillard is one of the great winemakers in France and, in his hands, wine is no ordinary thing.
Jean and his wife Agnès live just outside the small village of Ville-Morgon in a large, old white farmhouse that they have renovated beautifully. Jean started making wine in 1982; first at the family domaine then after a few years he branched out on his own and started to rent and buy his own holdings (including a large, perfect parcel on the Côte du Py: the most celebrated climat in all of Beaujolais).
Jean Foillard is a fervent supporter, like Marcel Lapierre, of the natural wine growing and making methods of the legendary Jules Chauvet. This includes keeping whole clusters of grapes in vats for 2 to 3 weeks at a low temperature before fermentation, using only natural yeast, no pumping, no fining and no filtration. Furthermore he ages his wine in barrels brought from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti….. the results are sublime. He is a cult wine hero amongst the very many young, free-spirited vignerons in France who are now looking back to nature to make fine wine.
Morgon from Foillard shows wonderfully fresh, pure aromas of cherries and blackberries combined with a haunting, otherworldly complexity that is distinctly Foillard. The word diaphanous is perfect to describe the aromas of his wines; you can almost smell through them. In the mouth, again there’s a wonderful transparency. Crunchy, fresh fruit is complemented by a satiny, silky structure and some delicate spice. Elegant, soft, smooth and pure, in many ways these wines have more in common sensually with Chambolle-Musigny than regular, ‘run of the mill’ Beaujolais. A must try wine for wine lovers who have not yet discovered this treasure of ‘true’ Beaujolais.
About the 2014 vintage … Antonio Galloni, Vinous “… 2014 might turn out to have produced the most consistently outstanding group of Beaujolais since the legendary 2005s, which is saying something. That’s especially true for readers who prize the classic style of Beaujolais that emphasizes energetic fruit and mineral character, qualities the ‘14s possess in spades … the 2014s exhibit lively berry and floral character punctuated by zesty minerality. The wines are concentrated yet not heavy, and show good structure without coming off as outsized … hugely appealing right now but I have no doubt that they will reward another three to five years of aging.”
93 points James Suckling “A very floral Beaujolais that shows berries and hints of oranges and charcoal. Dense and flavorful with grapey and rich character. Long and flavorful. So fresh. Made from organic grapes.” (2/2017)
93 points Vinous “Ruby-red. Vibrant black raspberry, cherry and lavender scents, along with suggestions of star anise, smoky minerals and blood orange. Concentrated yet lithe and precise, offering bitter cherry and red and dark berry flavors enlivened by tangy acidity. Silky tannins shape the finish, which lingers with strong, spicy persistence and resonating florality. (8/2016)
90 Points, The Wine Advocate … “The maiden 2014 Morgon Les Charmes Eponym comes from fruit purchased by Foillard from a vineyard presently owned by three brothers. It has a very pure bouquet with redcurrant and wild strawberry scents mixed with cold limestone. The palate is well balanced with tightly wound red berry fruit, very linear, quite “strict” for a Morgon with a little terseness towards the finish that should dissipate with 2 or 3 years in bottle. Good potential but I think there is better to come from this label.” (8/2016)
RRP $86
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