This Cru Beaujolais is your one-stop shop for lushness, balance, and terroir expression—only a handful of Burgundy wines can match what Domaine des Braves’ Régnié does at this price.

Paul Cinquin acquired many of Domaine des Braves’ Régnié vines in the 1970s; most of their vineyards sit on a high plateau of about 300 meters elevation, with full-south expositions and soils rich in sand, pink granite, and limestone. Their wines are sustainably farmed, minimal-intervention expressions of place. The small, hand-harvested crop that is yielded after a strict sorting process is entirely de-stemmed and undergoes a natural fermentation in stainless steel tanks. After additional aging, the wine is bottled both unfined and unfiltered. 

Plump, brambly fruit and graphitic minerality funnel out of the glass in style, making this 2022 a downright exuberant Régnié that should be strongly considered for case purchasing. Although unapologetically plush and polished—think bright red raspberry, juicy plum, preserved strawberry—a lot of crushed graphite and iron-like minerality reveals itself with 30 minutes of air. The medium-plus (for Gamay) palate reveals darker, brambly fruits and impressive concentration, but a great savory bite lingers in the form of grape stems, wild herbs, crushed stone, and pomegranate seed. This is a “drink now and often” wine that shows best with a slight chill (55-60 degrees) in all-purpose or Burgundy stems.