Ah, Beaujolais. This world-famous wine region at the southern tip of Burgundy has seen several iterations of public perception over its long history. In the 19th Century the wines were often as acclaimed as their Burgundian brethren to the north, then the post-war era saw a focus on industrial farming and high production (Duboeuf nouveau!), and finally we have entered a renaissance period of quality in the past couple of decades. Dedicated farmers and small family estates– such as the Thévenet clan at Petit Pérou–are returning Beaujolais to its rightful glory. And while the Crus generally get all the attention, this super fresh, exuberant, lively Gamay is evidence that even “basic” Beaujolais–when made with care–can be both joyful and unpretentious, and also seriously good.
When Roger Thévenet took the helm of his family estate, Domaine du Petit Pérou, the vineyards had been divided by inheritance several times and he was left with just 3.5 hectares. But by 1985 he and Laurent had managed to grow their holdings to 10 hectares, and today it sits at a total of 18. Most of that is still in the village of Morgon, where they cultivate several parcels throughout the appellation, working organically and doing everything the old-school way. Roger has retired, but is still active in the cellar, and Laurent is joined now by his son Hugo and daughter Alexa.
The vineyard for this classic, yet surprisingly complex, Beaujolais sits just outside the cru appellation at a slightly lower elevation then most of Morgon. The vines average 60 years of age, and like all of the family’s holdings are farmed organically. The Thévenet’s generally eschew carbonic maceration, and that is true with this cuvée. All the fruit is destemmed before it is crushed and fermented in large, concrete tanks with native yeasts. Aging for several months takes place in those same concrete tanks. The fermentation and maceration is relatively quick, and the idea is to obtain a fresh, fruit forward wine that is generally ready to drink on release and is best at one to four years of age. The cuvée nickname, “Tu m'Tiens au Jus” is a French saying that basically means “you keep me on track.” But the pun here of course is that it could be more literally translated as “you keep me focused on the juice!”
Serve this joyfully fresh red on the cool side in a Burgundy or all-purpose stem and you’ll be greeted by waves of red and blue fruit–crushed raspberries, plums, wild blueberries, currants–as well as savory hints of violet petals, pink peppercorn, wet rocks, and damp earth. Although it is relatively light, and low in tannin, there is still sneaky complexity and a well balanced structure of acidity and minerality. It’s perfect for simple spreads of cheese and charcuterie, or try it with a classic smash burger!
