While exceedingly limited in number, there are a select few vineyards around the globe that have attracted so much fame that they’ve become synonymous with entire regions: “To-Kalon” in Napa Valley; “Montrachet” in Côte de Beaune; “Bussia” in Barolo; and, yes, today’s “Côte du Py” in Morgon. It is here, on the remnants of an ancient volcano, where 400-million-year-old soils lend Côte du Py its supernatural character and world-renowned fame.
Accordingly, every Beaujolais producer wants a tiny slice of these treasured vines, yet only a few have come away victorious—does Foillard, Lapierre, and Thévenet ring a bell? If not, dine out in a major city and check the wine list. Jean Arthaud, too, has emerged victorious by bottling a small batch of wine from this wildly sought-after site and does so at one of the lowest prices I’ve ever witnessed. From 55-year old vines, the third-generation Trenel family hand harvests pure Gamay and allows it to mature in a mixture of concrete and twice-used Burgundy barrels. The jaw-dropping result is a wine of remarkably purified energy and the long-lasting stamp of Côte du Py’s magical terroir. Even more exciting is that the world hasn’t yet found out: You’re among the very few in America who have the ability to experience this, and, speaking from experience, there’s nothing better than revealing a delicious, serious, never-before-seen red Burgundy to a group of certified experts.