The Perrachon family has been making wine in Beaujolais since 1601—that's over 400 years of Gamay in their blood. Today, Laurent and his wife Martine, along with sons Maxime and Adrien, farm parcels across six different crus, making them the only independent producer with holdings in so many of Beaujolais' top villages.

But it's their parcel in Côte du Py that makes even jaded wine professionals sit up straight. This isn't just any vineyard—it's THE vineyard in Morgon, a volcanic outcrop of blue schist that's been famous for centuries. The soils here are ancient—400 million years old—composed of decomposed volcanic rock shot through with iron oxide that literally glows blue in certain light. It's Beaujolais' most extreme terroir, capable of producing Gamay with the structure and longevity of great Burgundy.

The challenge with Côte du Py is that it can be too much of a good thing. This south-facing amphitheater gets absolutely roasted by the sun, and in hot years, the wines can tip into overripeness. But 2023 was different. The vintage delivered that perfect combination of ripeness without excess—what winemakers dream about.

Laurent's approach here is old-school Beaujolais at its finest. His 50-year-old vines are pruned in the traditional gobelet style, yields kept to an austere 35 hectoliters per hectare. Hand-harvested whole clusters undergo semi-carbonic maceration for two weeks, then the wine ages 12 months in oak barrels followed by three months in large oak vats. It's a process that extracts everything this legendary terroir has to offer without going overboard.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT

• A Goldilocks Vintage: After years of passing on Perrachon's Côte du Py in overly ripe vintages, 2023 hit the sweet spot. All the power and complexity of this legendary site, none of the excess. Perrachon’s 2023 is Côte du Py in perfect, fruit-driven balance.
  

• Blue Schist Magic: Those 400-million-year-old volcanic soils don't just sound cool—they create wines with a mineral intensity you can actually taste. The iron oxide adds a distinctive ferrous note that makes Côte du Py instantly recognizable to Beaujolais nerds.
  

• The Aging Curve: Côte du Py from a producer like Perrachon can easily hit 25 years in great vintages. At $33 on six bottles, you can afford to lay some down and watch the magic happen.
  

• Fair Pricing: This is Morgon's most prestigious vineyard from one of Beaujolais’ most respected producers. In Gevrey-Chambertin, the equivalent would cost $300+. Here it's $33. 

HOW TO SERVE IT

• Serve at 60-62°F—slightly cooler than most reds but warmer than typical Beaujolais service. This wine has the structure to handle a bit more warmth.

• Drink now through 2030. While it's delicious today with its explosion of cherry and white pepper, Côte du Py ages beautifully. In a decade, expect dried roses, leather, and earth to join the fruit.
  

• Perfect with duck (Laurent suggests duck with peaches), but also ideal with roast game, beef bourguignon, or aged cheeses.