The appellation of Morgon is situated entirely within the parish of Villié-Morgon, where the soil sets its wines apart from the other Beaujolais 'Crus'. The percentage of sand and shale is higher here due to the particular way in which the local schist layers have weathered. Consequently the wines are firmer and darker in colour than the other 'Crus'. Dark ruby colour with aromas of black fruits such as blackcurrant and blackberry. The mouthfeel is rich and silky, revealing mouth-watering flavours of black fruits, myrtle, rose and cocoa. A serious and rich Beaujolais of incredible value and style.

Reputed to be the leading star of the ''Super Seconds'' of Bordeuax, Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou is set over 50 hectares of vineyards in the south of St-Julien. The wine is composed from predominately Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with lesser influence from Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and spends around 18 months in half new and half seasoned oak barriques. The 2010 vintage has conspired to produce what could arguably called one of the greatest releases of this wine, resplendent with fine, firm tannin, subtle oak, quiet power and a capacity to cellar for another half century.

Juliénas is among the 10 best Crus of the Beaujolais région, offering velvety textures, peppered red fruit aromas and a soft tannin structure. Our vineyards (2.85 Ha.) are situated on the eastern side of the village of Juliénas, on the mid-slope, enjoying a southern exposure. The soils are deep, well drained and composed of granite rock sediments and slate. These optimal conditions allow the exclusive gamay varietal to express lots of finesse, good texture and concentration. The grapes are picked by hand and transported direcly into our cellars in Fuissé (15 min.). The key elements for our wine-making is the health of the grapes and their phenolic maturity as we priviledge whole cluster fermentation and partial barrel/tank maturing. We focus on the terroir expression allowing our wines to affine and develop in the bottle. The Château-Fuissé controls and runs this property since 2010 and puts everything together to make a “Great” Cru of Juliénas” in the pure tradition of Beaujolais…

Named after Daniel Bouland’s daughter, Cuvée Mélanie is drawn from a small, steep, half-hectare plot on the slopes of Mont Brouilly. The 70-year-old vines are rooted on the area’s famous terres bleu (blue-tinted volcanic soils) within the lieu-dit of Tête Noire vines, directly above Château Thivin. It’s this volcanic blue schist that lends the wines of this Cru their unique mineral profile. Bouland’s 0.8-hectare parcel is planted at 12,000 vines per hectare. As with all Bouland’s cuvées, this is a wine born from low yields and natural, whole-bunch fermentation.

Théo Dancer’s Gamay is sourced from an organic grower in Chiroubles. The winemaking remains the same as previous releases, with the grapes fully destemmed and the wine fermented and matured in amphora and old cask. It’s interesting to note that Dancer’s fellow Burgundian, Benoît Moreau, also makes Chiroubles using a similar, non-carbonic technique. The belief is that a longer, ‘Pinot-like’ fermentation allows the wine to transmit more of its site. Either way, the result is impressive, with lovely purity and gorgeous aromatics. In simple terms, this is an infusion-style Gamay, with a bright, red-fruited personality, all kinds of berries and floral notes but with ink and anise kicking on the finish to remind us, along with the length and the fine powdery tannins, that this is a serious wine! About as classy and fine as Beaujolais gets.

In the upper echelon of 2nd Growth estates, Chateau Cos D''Estournel is located in St-Estephe appelltion, on the fringe of Paulliac and notably just north of the famed Lafite vineyards. Tourists flock to the Medoc estate to see the unusual, Asian-inspired Chateau design, but the wines hold their own and rightfully are considered the finest within St-Estephe. Oak is set to around 80% new barrels while alcohol is a modest 14.5%; the blend in 2010 is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon with 19% Merlot and complimentary Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in tow. A wine for thirty or so years.