Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly Cuvée Zaccharie – 2023

This is Chateau Thivin’s top cuvee and comes from a mix of vines between 40 and 100 years old grown on the volcanic soils of the Cote de Brouilly. It was matured for 12 months in used French barriques and is surprisingly rich, full bodied and structured for a Gamay, yet has typical fresh, fine acidity. It is built to last for 10 years ++

“The 2023 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Zaccharie Geoffray offers aromas of cooked cherries, sweet oak spice and a touch of black pepper on the nose, with reserved flavors that suggest potential for further development. Full of concentration on the palate, the wine begins plush and broad but narrows gracefully under taut, cinching tannins, leading to a finish laced with subtle flint and a saline edge. The oak presence is pronounced at this stage but poised to integrate further, though not a perfect match given the poised nature of the wine.” 91+/100 Wine Advocate

“Château Thivin, the oldest vineyard in Mont-Brouilly, traces its origins back to the 14th century. Since 1877, the Geoffray family has proudly upheld its legacy, with Claude Edouard and his wife, Sonia, now representing the sixth generation. Spread across 30 hectares, the estate’s vines flourish in over 10 distinct plots within the Côte de Brouilly, Brouilly, Quincié and Southern Beaujolais regions. Already committed to organic farming, they go many steps beyond by prioritizing biodiversity and soil health through practices such as natural grass cover crops, minimal plowing, compost applications and eco-pasturing with sheep.

In the cellar, tradition reigns supreme. Grapes are hand-harvested and undergo traditional vinification, often with whole clusters. Aging occurs mostly in foudres, though the Cuvée Zaccharie sees time in barrels. The gravity-fed cellar design ensures gentle handling of grapes and wine throughout the aging process. What routinely stands out is their savoir faire for extraction, achieving remarkable depth and concentration without ever veering too heavy or structured, tempered to the year’s conditions.

Château Thivin’s classic wines, characterized by purity and energy, reflect the exceptional terroirs of their vineyards. In 2023, the wines lived up to that reputation—serious, in keeping with the vintage, with defined structures brimming with depth, freshness and vibrancy. In general, the wines require some further time to relax, but they promise to shine brilliantly in 2-3 years.” Wine Advocate