After too long an absence - it skipped a vintage - it's back! Raisins Gaulois from Domaine Lapierre. Not just a delicious wine but also a taste of natty wine history.
There were a couple of crucibles of the natural wine revolution in France. One was the Loire valley centered on Nicolas Joly. Another was in Beaujolais, where Jules Chauvet, a fourth generation winemaker but also a chemist, took a critical view of what they were being encouraged to do in the vineyard and in the winery and decided that over-use of chemicals in both was bad for the environment and bad for the wine. Several other growers in Beaujolais followed M. Chauvet’s lead. Known as the Gang of Four, among them was Marcel Lapierre. Sadly he died quite young in 2010 but his wife Marie carried on the estate as well as farming her own Chateau Cambon and has now been joined by their son Mathieu and daughter Camille. ‘Raisin Gaulois’ is labelled Vin de France as it is mainly from vines around Morgon but with a little from outside so doesn’t fit a suitable Beaujolais appellation.
It is 100% Beaujo though, lovely, lively fruit, juicy, soft and ever so drinkable.
Producer - Domaine Lapierre
Country - France
Region - Burgundy
Appellation - Beaujolais
Variety / Blend - Gamay
Wine Style - Red Wine
Farming - Organic / Biodynamic
Vegan