After a rest over the summer we're pleased to release the characterful wines of Cyrille Vuillod in Vaux en Beaujolais, just on the edge of Brouilly.
Farming a patchwork of gnarled old Gamay vines planted over pink granitic sand, flint and clay totalling less than five hectares, Cyrille is a bit of an outlier in Beaujolais, making wines with complexity and depth, experimenting with an array of fermentation and ageing vessels.
With next month's calendar date looming, it's worth noting that we're lucky to work with two producers in Beaujolais: one who enjoys the challenge of producing a delicious Nouveau that stands on its own merit. The other is Cyrille, a bit more critical of the region's marketing tradition:
"For me the Nouveau should be drunk from the winemaker's tap, not in a bottle where the wine will never have the chance to mature slowly and surely! Also, if we have to make a celebration of new wine, we should leave this date free to the winemaker and his wine - not a commercial date!"
With each parcel vinified and bottled separately with no additions, we have three of Cyrille's expressions of his Gamay available now from the 2020 vintage. Looking to experiment beyond Gamay recently, he's since started trading grapes with Philippe Brand in Alsace, swapping Gamay for Riesling. 'Coquette' is the result! We also have a little of the 2019 Sang Neuf and 2019 Dolia available. Info on everything below!
NOW AVAILABLE
RED
NEW 2020 - Tisane de Bois Tordu - Gamay
From vines between 30 to 50 years old, the only parcel planted on clay and flint soils over granite. Whole bunch maceration for 15 days, aged for 12 months in 15 year old barrels.
NEW 2020 - Gamay Sans Frontiere - Gamay
From a parcel of vines ranged between 40 to 80 years over pink granitic sand, a whole bunch maceration for two weeks, aged for a year in concrete.
NEW 2020 - La Baleine Ivre - Gamay
From vines about 40 years old planted over pink granitic sand, a short maceration of eight days, raised in enamel vats for 12 months.
2019 - Sang Neuf - Gamay
Vines 30 to 50 years old on pink granite, a proper carbonic maceration for these, over two weeks, raised for a year in concrete egg.
2019 - Dolia - Gamay
From the first vineyard Cyrille has worked with since 2011, over pink granitic sand. Macerated for eight months in amphora before pressing.
"The inspiration to vinify in amphora over such a long period of time comes from me trying to find a much more ancestral expression of the grape, to see what would happen if I intervened as little as possible!"
SKINS
NEW 2020 - Coquette - Riesling
Alsatian Riesling macerated for 13 days and aged in a combination of one Qvevri and a small barrel for 12 months.
