I’ve not tried many wines from the Macedon Ranges but the Lyons Will Estate Chardonnay and Gamay were highly recommended. The only problem I see is work out which one to try first… Chardy or Gamay? Can’t really lose in my eyes 🙌🍷🔥

 I’ve not tried many wines from the Macedon Ranges but the

2014 - Chateau Thivin - Cote de Brouilly (88 pts)

- Pale ruby color. Medium intensity nose with a lot of strawberry and raspberry on the nose. There is also a strong sense of minerality showing as wet rock and almost a salinity on the nose. Medium acidity, medium- soft tannins, medium body and medium alcohol. Pure red fruit on the medium+ intensity palate. Red plum, strawberry and raspberry. Feels like there are rocks in the glass. Slight liquorice note on the medium finish. This wine is solid, really easy to drink and extremely balanced. Huge value for the money here. Old vine Gamay in Cote de Brouilly is serious. This will only improve with a few years of bottle age. It's not thought provoking, but it is delicious none the less.

 2014 - Chateau Thivin - Cote de Brouilly (88 pts)

🍷🆚🍷 Next Wine Battle: Cru Beaujolais

☝️ Wine Region: Beaujolais, France 🇫🇷

🇫🇷 2014 Yvon Métras - Moulin-à-Vent

🇫🇷 2015 Thibault Liger-Belair -Moulin-à-Vent Les Vieilles Vignes

 🍷🆚🍷 Next Wine Battle: Cru Beaujolais ☝️ Wine Region:

2012 Domaine David-Beaupere - La Croix De La Bottiere Julienas (85 pts)

- Medium- ruby color. Medium- intensity on the nose. Aromas of strawberry, raspberry, strawberry candy (red twizzlers), violets, and wet stone. Medium acidity, medium- tannins that are chalky and fine grained, medium- alcohol, and medium body. Very mineral on the palate, wet rock, and the red fruit, strawberry, flavors are much more faint than on the nose. The finish is medium- in length and lingers with an almost soapy note. Totally serviceable, but far from compelling. Considerably less aromatic and intriguing than other Cru Beaujolais producers. I know the Botterie bottlings are more Burgundian in vinification methods, but I believe this is still semi carbonic (traditional).

 2012 Domaine David-Beaupere - La Croix De La Bottiere

2017 Julien Braud - Forty Ounce Rosé (84 pts)

🥊 Round 5 of the Rosé Blind wine tournament. A good guess on the origin of this wine. Huge value proposition, but was slightly outclassed on gumminess by it's challenger·

ℹ️ This is a Vin de France 🇫🇷 Rosé with grapes coming from Muscadet and Touraine. The blend is 35% Gamay, 35% Merlot, 12% Grolleau, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Pineau d'Aunis, and 2% Pinot Gris. Sustainable vineyard practices. Full MLF and short aging on lees·

👃Low intensity on the nose. Light floral, wet rock, and red currant·

👄 The wine is dry, surprisingly high acidity, medium- alcohol, and medium body. Medium intensity on the palate. Flavors of red currant, strawberry, wet rock, steeliness, and green pepper. The finish is medium- length and ends on a green pepper and metallic note ·

🔔 I liked this bottling a lot more last year. Could this production have just skyrocketed 🚀 due to a hot 🔥trend? I ❤️ the packaging, but the juice was better last year. The low intensity on the nose and the flavors on the finish really knocked it down prior to learning what it was. ⚠️ this is still a lot of wine for $16 (remember it's 1L or 34 oz despite the name) and it is decent for the price. My hipster fad radar 📡 is going off 😥. In Blind, We Trust 😎·

 2017 Julien Braud - Forty Ounce Rosé (84 pts) #winereview

🧠💭Let me know your thoughts or feedback on this

🗳 Add suggestions for future wine battles in the comments below👇

 Moulin-à-Vent 🇫🇷 2014 Yvon Métras - Moulin-à-Vent 🇫🇷 2015

Check out Episode 4 of Wine Terroir - The King of Beaujolais --> https://youtu.be/COUMHD4-obM

 Check out Episode 4 of Wine Terroir - The King of

2014 Yvon Métras - Moulin-à-Vent (92 pts)

ℹ️ Yvon Métras is a modern day hermit wanting to spend his time with the vines and not dealing with exporters. He is less famous than the "Gang of Four" that were made famous by Kermit Lynch, but his wines have received a cult following nonetheless. His tenets include organic viticulture, harvest perfectly ripe old vine (up to 120 years old) Gamay, only ambient yeasts, extended semi-carbonic maceration, aging in neutral used oak barrels, and no fining or filtration. Minimal SO2 at bottling, but not before ·

👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe crunch raspberry, strawberry, and red currant. Followed by licorice, sunflower seeds, stems, and copious amounts of wet rocks. Very mineral nose for a red wine ·

👄 The wine is dry, medium lively acidity, medium fine silky tannins, medium alcohol, and medium body. More intense on the palate, this wine just pops to life. Ripe yet tart red fruits. Then hit with this black tea flavor, black licorice, and then rocks. Slight pleasant bitter note on the mineral finish of medium+ length ·

🔔 This is super yummy right now. I am actually thinking how great this would be in 5-7 years, but oh the restraint that you would need to have to cellar these babies. In the past I have had some issues of a yeasty flavor from Métras's wines, but not this batch. Also, I think 2014 is a superior vintage to 2015 based on my tasting notes. These wines are really hard to find, but well worth the price of entry. This wine is very Pinot-esque and will continue to resemble high end Burgundy as it ages 👏 ·

 2014 Yvon Métras - Moulin-à-Vent (92 pts) #winereview @vins

2013 Domaine Jean Foillard - Morgon Cuvee 3.14 (87 pts)

❓What was the last wine that let you down❓·

ℹ️ This wine was tasted double blind aka zero context. Jean Foillard is regarded as the 'Master of Morgon'. This is one of the top cuvées of Beaujolais. This wine is 💯 Gamay. The vines are average 100 years old on granite schist soils. Traditional whole cluster semi-carbonic maceration. Aged in used oak barrels for 6-9 months·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of overripe raspberry, strawberry, plum, dark cherry, stemmy, and some spices·

👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, medium spicy tannins, medium alcohol, and medium+ body. Similar to nose with a touch of rocky minerality on the medium length finish·

🔔 Blind I called this wine a Moulin-à-Vent Cru Beaujolais with a few years of age. This was deep and brooding. The fruit was overripe and really missing alot of elegance. ⚠️ I am a huge fan of Domaine Jean Foillard and I absolutely love his Morgon Cote du Py and think it's way more elegant in the 2013 vintage. I was really let down when the wine was revealed to be Cuvee 3.14 😰 In Blind We Trust 😎·

 2013 Domaine Jean Foillard - Morgon Cuvee 3.14 (87 pts)

Pierre-Marie Chermette - Beaujolais Tasting and Interview with Jean Étienne Chermette·

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Jean Étienne Chermette

_chermette , ‪on Thursday, June 4th, at 9:00 am PST. We will be discussing natural winemaking from sustainable farming to minimal intervention in the cellar. We will also discuss long fermentation with whole clusters resulting in semi-carbonic maceration·

🍷 We will be tasting three wines from the 2018 vintage - Beaujolais Griottes,  Fleurie Poncié, and Moulin à Vent Les Trois Roches. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories·

 Pierre-Marie Chermette - Beaujolais Tasting and Interview

This interview features Jean Étienne Chermette, where we talked about his family’s domains and tasted through some of their wines. We talked about the Terroir of Beaujolais with the critical point of Granite soils. While most of the granite is in the North of Beaujolais, they have some around the town of Saint Veran in the south. We tasted three wines from the 2018 vintage: Beaujolais Griottes, Fleurie Poncié, and Moulin à Vent Les Trois Roches.

 This interview features Jean Étienne Chermette, where we

2018 Château Thivin - Côte de Brouilly (91 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯Gamay from the Beaujolais Cru of Côte de Brouilly. The Cru of Brouilly surrounds Côte de Brouilly. Côte is referring to Hill in the center. Côte de Brouilly has a different elevation, aspect, and soil type than Brouilly. This bottling is a special Cuvée for the US importer,

 . It is a blend of seven different plots all planted the same blue volcanic soils. Each plot is harvested and vinified separately. The average vine age is 50 years old. Whole cluster fermentation lasts for 6-12 days and then aged in oak foudres for six months·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe black raspberry, boysenberry, black cherry, floral, violets, peony, white pepper, anise, and wet rock·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium- powdery tannins, medium alcohol, and medium+ body. The palate shows a good amount of texture.  A medium+ length finish of black cherry, peonies, and wet rock·

🔔 The Côte de Brouilly is a bit darker and more concentrated than the Brouilly Reverdon bottling. Crunchy red fruit versus crunchy black fruit. Both bottles are fantastic, but this bottle offers a floral and peppery spice that simply just speaks to me a bit more. More importantly, this wine will continue to improve with a bit more age (3-5 years). These wines are hard to beat at these prices·

 2018 Château Thivin - Côte de Brouilly (91 pts)

2014 Domaine Diochon - Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes (91 pts)

Full video review --> https://youtu.be/COUMHD4-obM

 2014 Domaine Diochon - Moulin-à-Vent Vieilles Vignes (91

ℹ️ Fleurie may not have the historical pedigree of Moulin-à-Vent nor the stacked list of rock star producers like Morgon. It does have a great name and most importantly Yvon Métras. Fleurie is located between Moulin-à-Vent and Chiroubles. The Eastern side has sandy soils and is lighter and more floral like the wines of Chiroubles. The Western side the pink granitic soil contains trace amounts of Manganese like Moulin-à-Vent, which reduces grape yields and concentrates the berries ·

👁 Medium- ruby color, lighter than Moulin-à-Vent ·

👃Medium+ intensity on the nose. A little funk upon first opening. Aromas of soil, ripe raspberry, ripe cranberry, rose, rhubarb, and tomato leaf ·

👄 The wine is dry, medium acidity, medium- plush tannins, medium alcohol, and medium- body. Flavors are brieflyight red fruits, followed by some mineral rocky note. Then things get interesting with a florals. The medium+ length finish ends with what I can best describe as the water that you replaced from your Valentine's day rose bouquet 🥀 ·

🔔 This wine is super elegant, albeit lighter in style. It has a bit more complexity and intrigue than the Moulin-à-Vent. Tasted over 3 days and these just keep getting better and better each day. Highly recommend decanting them for full enjoyment. Now I want to try his Vieilles Vignes bottling 😰 if I can find it 🤷‍♂️ ·

 2014 Yvon Métras - Fleurie (93 pts) #winereview @vins

 as she walks me through the critical differences in the terroir of Côte de Brouilly and Brouilly. As a wine geek, I am super excited to learn the nuances between these two Crus·

🍷 We will be tasting the 2018 vintage of both wines over Instagram Live on Friday, May 8th, at 9 am PST. ⌛️ Please find the countdown timer in the stories so you can set a reminder. Looking forward to having you join and ask questions·

 Do you love Cru Beaujolais❓· Join Sonja Geoffray from

2010 Domaine du Vissoux Pierre-Marie Chermette - Moulin-a-Vent Les Trois Roches (93 pts) Full video review --> https://youtu.be/COUMHD4-obM

 2010 Domaine du Vissoux Pierre-Marie Chermette -

2018 Château Thivin -  Brouilly Reverdon (90 pts)

ℹ️ This wine is 💯Gamay in the Cru Beaujolais sub-region of Brouilly. Reverdon is a single 5.5 ha parcel with eastern exposure on a hillside of Mont Brouilly. The soil is pink granite and sand. The average vine age is 45 years old. The domaine began conversion to organic viticulture in 2008. Grapes are hand-harvested, and each parcel is vinified separately. The entire winery gravity fed for minimal movement of the wines. The grapes are fermented whole cluster with minimal Carbonic Maceration. The grapes macerate for 8 days and then are matured in cement vats for 7 months before bottling·

👁 Medium- ruby color with a purple hue·

👃 Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of just-picked ripe raspberry, redcurrant, rose petals, white pepper, and wet rock·

👄 The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, low ripe tannins, medium alcohol (13%), and medium body. A chalky texture to the wine. A medium length finish of fresh raspberry and wet rock·

🔔 Hands down one of the best Brouilly on the market. A very vibrant wine with great acidity and an impeccably fresh fruit profile. It is as if you picked raspberries and roses at the same time, then made an elixir out of them. I could drink this wine all summer. Put a slight chill on it, and you have a great light red for the heat. Stunning quality to price ratio·

 2018 Château Thivin -  Brouilly Reverdon (90 pts)

Thibault Liger-Belair Tasting and Interview·

🎙 Join my Instagram Live interview with Thibault Liger-Belair from

 in Burgundy and Beaujolais, ‪on Friday, June 5th, at Noon PST. We will be discussing the value of old vines with respect to Pinot Noir and Gamay. Thibault Liger-Belair has some fantastic old vines on great terroirs that highlight these treasures·

🍷 We will be tasting 2015 and 2016 Moulin à Vent Les Vieilles Vignes from Beaujolais. Also, we will be tasting the 2014 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges. Please join our Instagram Live and participate in the conversation. Don't forget to click the reminder in the stories·

 Thibault Liger-Belair Tasting and Interview· 🎙 Join my

Interview with the charming Thibault Liger-Belair. He talked about his family's legacy in the wine trade of Burgundy. There was a ton of great background on Nuits Saint Georges and how it got its name. It is related to the 1er Cru of Les Saint Georges and was very enlightening. We discussed old vines in both Burgundy and Beaujolais. Finally, we discussed his vineyard holdings in Moulin à Vent and how he is making wines by smaller plots and old vines Cuvées. Thank you to Thibault for his time and Vineyard Brands for providing the wines.

 Interview with the charming Thibault Liger-Belair. He

❓Which Beaujolais Cru is your favorite and why❓·

Tonight I am going to be reviewing the 2014 Yvon Métras Moulin-à-Vent and Fleurie. Please check out my story for more details ·

Moulin-à-Vent is regarded as the King of Beaujolais due to it's ability to age, structure, and power ·

Fleurie is regarded as the Queen of Beaujolais due it's beguiling floral aromatics and elegance ·

There are 8 others Crus, so I really want to know which is your favorite ❓·

 ❓Which Beaujolais Cru is your favorite and why❓· Tonight I

2015 Domaine Foillard - Morgon Cuvee Corcelette (92 pts)

- Medium ruby color. Pronounced intensity on the nose. Aromas of violets, wet rocks, ripe dark cherry, ripe red currant, ripe raspberry, and star anise. The wine is dry, high acidity, high alcohol (coming off a bit 🔥), medium- ripe smooth tannins, and medium body. The palate is riper fruit and earthier. Fresh tilled soil, star anise, sarsaparilla. Ripe raspberry, fresh cherry juice, and Boysenberry. Lots of dried flowers, especially violets on the medium length finish. While I have heard reports of bretty bottles this was clean. My only complaint is the alcohol being a touch 🔥. It's easy to drink, which is great. The nose is a chameleon and changing every time you put your face in front of the glass. This will only get more complex and easily can be enjoyed for 8-10 more years.

 2015 Domaine Foillard - Morgon Cuvee Corcelette (92 pts)

Gamay is exploding on the wine scene at the moment. It has to be the latest ‘new’ grape Australian winemakers are producing with an impressive flavour. For those unaware of Gamay, in simple terms, it very similar to Pinot Noir. And those Pinot Regions of Geelong, Yarra and Mornington are starting to produce some great versions of this variety.

 is from Tash Webster’s winery Empire of the Dirt.

This is very good. It’s dirty but in a good way, like a kid that has been playing all day at the park, covered in dirt, cut on the knees and shirt untucked. But as a cheeky grin that just says, “best day ever”...simple...

 Empire of the Dirt Ink Gamay 2018 Rating: B+ Price: $38

🍇 90% Gamay d’Auvergne / 10% other local varieties

Catherine Dumora is the main figure behind this small domaine with her husband, Manuel Duveau (known from another small winery, Yahou Fatal), by her side, and together they make delicious natural wines from small, old and abandoned parcels of vines located in central France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

They assist each other with their own specific wine projects.

Don’t know much about the winemaking. It’s a Pét-Nat, for sure, which tells a lot already.

It’s 100% natural with nothing added nor taken.

Made from 80 to over a 100 years old vines located 300-400 meters AMSL. Maybe whole cluster-fermentation (there’s quite a green “cluster-touch” on the palate).

No idea… Might be updated another day🙃

The aromas are super expressive leaning towards the funkier Pet Nats. Dark and juicy like a funky Lambrosco.

Warm/baked strawberry, Amarena cherry, stable and spray can paint on the nose. A bit earthy too. Not a big thing, but fun.

The palate is rich and way more interesting with complex notes of dark cranberry, fresh strawberry, charcuterie, mild smoke, grass and green leaves followed by a long finish of baked, sweet beetroots. The acidity is in perfect balance and boosts the juiciness.

 ⭐️87+/100⭐️ Domaine de l’Egrapille “90 G” Pét-Nat, 2018

Domaine de la Madone is run by the Bererd family, whose history in the Beaujolais region dates all the way back to the 16th century.

Grapes are hand harvested from low yielding old vines, the majority of which are 100 years old.

Transparent dark red-violet in colour with aromas of Blueberry, cherry blackberry and candied violet.

Vivid wild berry jam is accented by crushed black peppercorn, silky tannins and fresh acidity.

Consistently a lovely simple, silky synthesis of fruit and spice.

Domaine de la Madone ‘Nouveau’ Beaujolais Villages 2018

 Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day🥂 Domaine de la Madone is run

Coral pink in colour with aromas of cherry, strawberry, melon and a hint of floral. Silky smooth cherry, cranberry and strawberry with a drop of honey, complimented by clean granite minerality and mouth puckering acidity. A squeeze of lemon over cranberry on the crisp, refreshing finish

 Coral pink in colour with aromas of cherry, strawberry

Aromas of sour cherry, wild berries, earth and musk.

Cranberry, pomegranate, red currant, sour cherry and crushed white peppercorn are glossed by fresh acidity and fun, grippy tannins.

Strawberry rhubarb pie along with Brothers Johnson funk comprises the engaging finish.

Intriguing, thirst quenching and rather delightful.

Frédéric Cossard ‘Juliénas’ Vin du Beaujolais 2014

 Aromas of sour cherry, wild berries, earth and musk

With 22 hectares of certified organic vineyards stretching across 3 communes in the heart of the Cheverny appellation, Hervé Villemade’s wines are renowned for their purity, along with a revitalization of the traditional wines of the region.

Vines are 40-60 years old in a mix of clay, flint and sandy soils.

Hand-harvested grapes are fermented whole cluster with native yeasts in concrete. Unfined, unfiltered, no SO2

Red-violet in colour, with aromas of blueberry, raspberry, chocolate, garrique.

Silky, light black tea tannins compliment black cherry, blueberry, lavender, thyme and moderate acidity.

Black currant and baking chocolate linger between each scrumptious sip.

Hervé Villemade ‘Bovin’ Vin de France 2020

 With 22 hectares of certified organic vineyards stretching

Natural winemakers René-Jean Dard [Crozes-Hermitage] and Hervé Souhaut [northern Rhône] created the small négociant label Les Champs Libres.

Grapes are from organically farmed vineyards, vinified without manipulation or intervention.

Dark red-violet in colour with aromas of blackberry, plum, damp earth and peppery spice.

Concentrated black cherry, black currant, blackberry, and pomegranate are accented by savoury black olive, peppery spice, game and earth.

Fresh acidity and firm tannins fuse with tangy dark fruit and licorice on the dry finish.

Les Champs Libres ‘Lard, des choix’ Rouge Vin de France 2017

 Natural winemakers René-Jean Dard [Crozes-Hermitage] and

Aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, bramble, flinty minerals and a drop of fruit liqueur. Raspberry, black currant, red currant and blackberry envelop a spicy, herbaceous core. Finishing dry and fruity, keeping you reaching for more and more.

12.5% Alcohol 🍷 Xavier Benier ‘Vieilles Vignes’ Vin de France 2016

 Aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, bramble, flinty

Jean-Paul Brun Le Rosé d’Folie Beaujolais 2016

Deep pink coral in colour with aromas of strawberry, minerals and a trace of white pepper. Tart wild berries are given a squeeze of citrus juice acidity. A shake of white pepper on the dry, mineral driven finish. A refreshing sip of clean, dry fruity flavours.

 Jean-Paul Brun Le Rosé d’Folie Beaujolais 2016 Deep pink

Joseph Drouhin Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau 2017

Transparent red violet in colour with aromas of black current, black cherry, violets and banana. Tart, red and black fruits [think strawberry, cranberry blackberry, blueberry] are given a shake of white pepper and framed by fresh acidity. A floral element compliments the dry, fruity finish. Fresh and easy drinking, a spectacular value, consistently one of my favourite Beaujolais Nouveau.

 Joseph Drouhin Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau 2017

A follower of the father of the French natural wine movement, Jules Chauvet, Yvon Métras farms his 6 hectare estate using organic, low intervention methods.

His vineyards are in some of the best sites in Fleurie, on steep sunny hills with vine ages ranging from 20 to 120 years.

Grapes are from younger vines in Grille-Midi and La Madone crus, with sandy, pink granite soils.

Transparent garnet in colour, very aromatic, with black cherry, cranberry, date, roasted herbs, a whisper of Brothers Johnson funk, black pepper and forest floor.

Wild berries, bramble, trace of lavender, white pepper glide atop silky tannins and fresh acidity.

Black cherry, black currant and a pinch of cinnamon linger on the plush finish.

Yvon Métras ‘Le Printemps’ Fleurie 2017