Region
Beaujolais
Appellation
Beaujolais
Features
Cultivated 5 minutes drive away from Château des Jacques, just a few kilometers away from Mâcon, Saint Vérand and Pouilly-Fuissé appellations, this chardonnay comes from Clos de Loyse, a plot of 10 hectares. The land and castle opposite were a medieval stronghold, belonging to the Barons of Loyse. In 1643 these lands where passed-on to Chartreux Monks who built the walls and dug ditches around the plot to protect it and improve drainage, and planted white grapevines instead of the original gamay vines. This terroir offers a particularly fruity expression of Chardonnay, on soil of ancient foothill deposits placed on granite bedrock.
Vinification
This Beaujolais blanc is pressed straight after the harvest, it rests overnight for cold settling (debourbage) in stainless steel vats. It then undergoes fermentation on lies, in order to get the purest expression of Chardonnay grown in Beaujolais.
Winemaking and bottling
The wine is matured on its lies for 7 to 8 months and bottled at the beginning of Spring.
Tasting / Food pairing
This wine is dry, lively and fresh, very appealing on the nose showing hints of exotic fruits and white flowers. This white Beaujolais is at the same time voluptuous and very fresh. It is the best companion to fish tartar, shellfish but also to goat cheese from Beaujolais and Mâconnais.
Preservation
This wine can be enjoyed young but can also be aged 3 to 5 years in appropriate cellaring conditions.
Vintage
The 2024 Beaujolais vintage is characterised by unexpected conditions. A mild winter allowed for an early start, but frequent rainfall affected growth and flowering. Several hailstorms affected some plots, notably the Clos de Loyse (Chardonnay), but the warmth of July and August allowed for good ripeness. Harvesting began on September 9th with healthy grapes, and the quality is promising, offering an elegant, colorful, and harmonious vintage.