Jean Foillard, Morgon Classique, 6 Bottle Case, 75cl

Natural, fleshy, complex Gamay. Although not officially certified organic or biodynamic, the Morgon wine from natural producer Jean Foillard is very pure - unfiltered, unfined, unsulphured.

Ruby red with aromas of cherry, rhubarb and blackberry, evolve into dark chocolate. On the palate it is extremely refreshing - bright sweet fruit is complemented by silky smooth tannins, and good structure. This is a bottle of Beaujolais which goes to prove that it can be both accessible and bright, yet also complex and serious at the same time. Delicious.

The Jean Foillard estate has a total surface of 11 hectares next to the fabled Côte du Py hillside, which is in fact an extinct volcano, which has a number of different soil compositions. On Foillard's estate, the vineyards grow on slopes with crumbly schists soil that give Gamay a unique expression. Foillard now runs his estate with minimal intervention, though he chooses not to subscribe to any certification, despite adhering to many of the stipulations for organic and biodynamic. For him, the wines should speak for themselves and he should be able to respond to the needs of his vineyard without strict rules. His cellar is fairly unsophisticated, and all the better for it. He buys one-year-old casks and uses them for 10 years, rather than making wood one of the main components. He also has two foudres, one of which is over forty years old. His wines have a fantastic elegance and silky texture which raises them far above the level of what we would normally consider Beaujolais.