Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly Les 7 Vignes – 2021

This is a blend of Gamay grapes grown on Chateau Thivin’s 7 vineyards on the blue clay soils of Mont Brouilly. The vineyards have been worked 100% organically since 2010 and are in the process of gaining biodynamic certification. 

This is Chateau Thivin’s key wine and a true reflection of the unique terroirs of Mont Brouilly. It has dark cherry fruit, spice and a real sense of minerality, combined with the freshness and elegance of the relatively cool 2021 vintage. It should drink beautifully until 2030 and probably beyond!

“The 2021 Côte de Brouilly has turned out nicely, mingling aromas of cherries and berries with notions of burning embers and forest floor. Medium-bodied, fleshy and vibrant, with a lively core of fruit, powdery tannins and a sapid, saline finish, it marks a return to a more classically proportioned style after several richer, riper vintages. This tasting note refers to the cuvée imported in the United States, but readers in the rest of the world will find that the estate’s Sept Vignes bottling, which sees a light filtration, is very similar in profile.” 92/100 pts Wine Advocate

“As I’ve written before, this historic estate continues to rank among the reference points for classical, age-worthy cru Beaujolais. The Geoffray family have banished herbicides and insecticides from their vineyards and number among the appellation’s most conscientious farmers, working toward organic certification (something they’ve already attained for several cuvées, as indicated in the tasting notes). In the cellar, winemaking is traditional, with semi-carbonic maceration and élevage generally in foudre—though some small cuvées see a little new wood. A staple of France’s best restaurants—and this writer’s table—any readers who are not acquainted with these wines are warmly advised to seek them out. Despite the challenges of frost, disease and rain, the 2021s have turned out very well and mark a return to a cooler, crunchier style of Beaujolais that we haven’t seen for several years.” William Kelley, Wine Advocate