Cru Beaujolais has been trumpeted as one of the best values in the world of small production, terroir forward wines for many years now. And it is still true, though you have to grade things on a curve: Cru Beaujolais is more expensive than a decade ago for sure, but compared to other world class wines it’s still affordable. All that said, when I stumbled upon today’s discovery I got super excited–all the silky fruit, granitic minerality, and floral fun of a top tier Fleurie, but from an overlooked terroir outside the “Cru” designation. So you get some exceptionally sublime Beaujolais at a price that harkens back to the early 2000s. All the details on why this wine is such a crazy good deal are below, but believe me, you will want to stock up!
The sleepy hamlet of Le Perréon lies just a mile or two south of where the famous ten “Cru” villages of Beaujolais begin, but it is not just geographically close, it is geologically very, very close too. The best parcels of vines grow on very steep slopes that are between 1500 and 2000 feet above sea level, and the subsoil here is almost pure decomposed pink granite. Sound familiar? Bojo geeks like myself will immediately think of Fleurie, where the best wines are also grown on steep slopes of decomposed pink granite. This distinct combination of factors results in wines that are supremely elegant; full of flowers and sappy red fruits but also containing more structure and depth than most of the other Beaujolais Crus–only Moulin-a-Vent and sometimes Morgon are longer lived.
Oliver and Bruno Berard know the special value of the Le Perréon terroir better than almost anyone. As proprietors and winemakers at Domaine de la Madone they tap into many generations of knowledge and tradition when farming their old vines of Gamay. And I do mean “old,” most are between 40 and 60 years old, and some are over 100. From these precious, ancient plants they craft wines that are labeled “Beaujolais-Villages” but can go toe to toe with the best, and most famous, bottles of Fleurie. Indeed, the name of their domaine, “Madone,” shares a name with the most famous, hilltop parcel of vines in Fleurie. It’s probably a coincidence (Madone is French for Madonna), but a happy one nonetheless!
The Berard clan only makes a few cuvées, but today’s “Bio” represents the heart of their old vine parcels at high elevations, and it is the vines that have been certified organic for many years now (today the entire estate is practicing organic). Everything is done by hand–the vineyards are way too steep for tractors! Winemaking is simple, straightforward, and follows the tradition of many generations. The fruit is partially destemmed and fermented with native yeasts in cement and steel tanks, and aged in the same tanks before bottling with minimal filtration.
With a little over four years of bottle age now, the 2020 “Le Perréon” is in perfect form, though given its terroir pedigree it will certainly improve for another three to five years or more. Give it a quick decant and serve on the cool side of cellar temperature in a Burgundy bowl and you’ll be treated to a rush of wild raspberries, black currants, cherry blossoms, dried rose petals, black tea, damp earth, and tell-tale granitic minerality. The palate is silky and soft, but with plenty of snappy acidity on the finish to keep it refreshing, and the complexity (especially given the price) is outstanding. Serve with anything you’d like, from smashburgers to seared salmon to Pernil (Puerto Rican roast pork shoulder)!
