Cote de Brouilly La Chapelle 2024 Chateau Thivin

A lovely balance of silky tannins and wild red fruits such as wild strawberry or bilberry. The finish is long and peppery. This Côte de Brouilly can be charming and lively in its early youth, and can equally become noble and elegant when laid down (three to eight years). 100% Gamay.

"Quite a radical expression of the appellation, although the tannin structure is by no means enormous. Subtle threads of beetroot and smoky minerality are interwoven with the sour cherry character to give this a wonderful tension right through the long, refined finish. From high up on the south-facing side of the hill of Brouilly from 80 plus year old vines on volcanic diorite soil." Stuart Pigott 95

2024 - 13% abv

ORGANIC

Chateau Thivin has to be one of the most iconic estates of the Beaujolais. Dating back to the 14th century, this modest but utterly beautiful chateau exudes history. The original 2 hectares, purchased by Zaccharie Geoffray in 1877, have grown to 24 hectares today, still owned by the Geoffray family. Claude-Edouard, and his wife, Sonja, are now in charge of the day-to-day running of the estate and wine-making.

Determined to work as ecologically as possible, the estate is certified Organic and the Geoffrays employ natural grassing, flower strips, eco-grazing by sheep, light tilling beneath the vines, together with the regular addition of compost and natural products to stimulate the vine’s defences, all helping to maintain and improve the biological activity of the soil.

The estate is ideally situated, surrounded by three very different terroirs, all equally interesting: a volcanic terroir on the Côte de Brouilly, surrounded by a granitic terroir in Brouilly, and further south, the clay/limestone soils of Theizé. The exceptional “blue rock” terroir on the steep slopes of the Mont Brouilly gives the Gamay a spicy minerality and solid structure. This terroir produces complex wines, powerful and elegant, with very good keeping potential. The “Golden Stone” of southern Beaujolais, well drained by gravel and slope, is perfectly suited to Chardonnay, revealing mineral purity and an elegant finesse.