A major generational shift is happening in Beaujolais, which is one reason it is perhaps the most dynamic wine region on earth right now. Some of its most famous family domaines are helmed by (or gradually handing the reins to) new, younger faces: Camille and Mathieu Lapierre; Charly Thévenet; Alex Foillard; and today’s featured producer, Sébastien Besson of Domaine du Penlois.
You may recognize the name, as Penlois is the source of some of the greatest price-to-quality Cru Beaujolais we’ve offered on SommSelect since we started importing the wines two years ago. Today’s gorgeously perfumed Chénas, sourced from 40-50-year-old vines, is Sébastien’s latest triumph. It’s also a collaboration with a well-respected master of Beaujolais: his close friend Damien Coquelet. Both on the label and in the bottle, Sébastien is putting his stamp on a family property that goes back four generations; his father, Maxence, has run it since 1977 and has amassed an impressive array of vineyard holdings in Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Juliénas, and Chénas. Now it’s Sébastien’s time, and he’s part of a true wine “movement” in Beaujolais: This place is brimming with youthful ideals, energy, and talent, and it shows in the wines. The price, meanwhile, adds an exclamation point—and we’re probably the only retailer in the country that has it!
For me, a bottle of Domaine du Penlois will always evoke one of my most cherished wine memories: An evening in the Beaujolais town of Villié-Morgon, at its landmark wine bar/hotel, Le Bacchus, eating coq au vin and drinking great bottles as an all-star team of Beaujolais-makers sidled up to the bar. I snuck out for some fresh air and struck up a conversation with Alex Foillard (son of the legendary Jean), and asked him if he knew of any undiscovered local producers I should get to know. Without missing a beat, he walked away and returned with the incredibly kind and humble Sébastien Besson; soon after, we all headed to a huge party in the nearby village of Régnié. It was an unforgettable night, populated with just about every ‘new-generation’ Beaujolais producer you could think of, all of them dancing and having a great time. I returned the following month and spent more time with Sébastien to learn more about his wines, and we’ve been offering incredibly well-priced bottles like this Chénas ever since!
Domaine du Penlois has traditionally focused on a more ‘Burgundian’ approach to Cru Beaujolais, macerating their crushed grapes in open-topped vats rather than sealing them up with CO2 in closed vessels (carbonic maceration). But, with assistance from Damien Coquelet, Sébastien crafted today’s Chénas in the popular ‘semi-carbonic’ style, in which whole grape bunches are fermented in a more anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment. There’s a brighter, fruitier, more perfumed personality that results from this process, as evidenced in this Chénas. It is exceptionally pretty, with mouthwatering freshness and clearly delineated wild-berry fruit interwoven with subtle spice. As in Morgon, the soils in Chénas are comprised of decomposed granite; the mineral component in the Penlois Chénas is a little less pronounced than in their Morgon wines, while the floral/fruit element is heightened.
Sandwiched between Juliénas and Moulin-à-Vent at the northern end of the Cru Beaujolais zone, Chénas is not as well-known as those others, probably because it is the smallest. It’s certainly got the terroir pedigree, as you’ll see in this 2017: In the glass, it’s a bright, translucent ruby-red moving to magenta/pink at the rim, unleashing a torrent of ripe, spicy aromas of black and red raspberry, cranberry, pomegranate, and black cherry. Scents of wild herbs, black pepper, warm spice, and underbrush lend complexity and carry over to a tangy, medium-bodied palate vibrating with life. It is a sneakily substantial wine loaded with fat-cutting freshness, exactly the kind of wine I wanted on my table that night a few years ago in Villié-Morgon. Decant it about 30 minutes before serving at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems, preferably with 3-4 more bottles waiting their turn in a nearby cooler as you flip some steaks, roast some chickens, or otherwise treat a group of wine-loving friends to a special night. This is a joyful, bistro-ready Beaujolais that also displays some real breed. Stock up now, but rest assured we’ll be hunting for the next vintage when it becomes available. Cheers!
