Beaujolais 2022

This is Guy Breton’s top cuvée, and is given his nickname, P’tit Max, which he has been called since childhood after his father. The wine comes from a parcel of low yielding 130-year-old vines. He says that rather than being bigger or oakier than the rest of his wines (as top cuvées at other addresses can be), it instead has a level of finesse that sets it apart. This 2021 is so refined, with juicy elegance and perfectly formed velvety tannins. There is mineral depth to the fruit, and the wine already tastes delicious at this early stage. Don’t be afraid to cellar this with confidence.

Jean-Claude’s Côte de Brouilly comes from a 70 year old parcel grown on the famous pierre bleue soils of Mont Brouilly. He shares this with winemaker and fellow Lay & Wheeler favourite, Guy Breton. It’s aged in old foudres from the Côte de Beaune and sees 80% whole-bunch fruit. It displays elegant floral aromas of violets and peonies, with a fresh cherry palate. It’s lifted, crunchy and fresh, with some fine tannins on display and a persistent length.

Jean-Claude combines classic Beaujolais vinification of carbonic maceration with the freshness derived from Gamay grown on granitic soils to make this fresh, bright, juicy, red cherry scented wine, that is quite simply, delicious.