Jean-Paul et Charly Thevenet
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Nestled in the small village of Villié-Morgon in the wine producing region of Beaujolais, Jean-Paul Thévenet is leading his family's winery in the third generation. His son Charly joined him in 2008 and they've been converting the 5 ha Domaine according to organic and biodynamic principles ever since. Charly is also making wines under his own label from the neighbouring Grand Cru Régnié.
Jean-Paul Thévenet is certainly a name in everyone's ear ever since Kermit Lynch dubbed him, together with Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton and Jean Foillard, as Beaujolais' famous "Gang of Four" in the '80s. The essence of their philosophy: take a step back, appreciate and cultivate old vines, apply organic farming practices, avoid the use of sulphur, let natural ferments do their magic and help the terroir express itself through minimal intervention. Following these principals, each of them has proven that Beaujolais is more than just 'Nouveau' and can indeed produce meaningful, complex and wonderful wines.
Jean-Paul is solely making wines from the Morgon appellation, one of the 10 Grand Crus of Beaujolais. The average vine age is around 70 years, with one of the plots planted even before World War I! Grapes harvested manually as late as possible to achieve maximum ripeness. After a rigorous triage to only choose the healthiest berries, the whole clusters are being left to their own devices until indigenous yeast start fermentation naturally. Low temperatures over 15-25 days allow an extended skin contact, before the wines age on fine lees in 5-7 year-old oak Burgundian barrels for 6-8 months. Punchdowns only occur at the end of the vinification process. In alignment with the philosophy of natural winemaking, Jean-Paul Thévenet's wines do not undergo any fining or filtration.
Jean-Paul Thévenet is certainly a name in everyone's ear ever since Kermit Lynch dubbed him, together with Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton and Jean Foillard, as Beaujolais' famous "Gang of Four" in the '80s. The essence of their philosophy: take a step back, appreciate and cultivate old vines, apply organic farming practices, avoid the use of sulphur, let natural ferments do their magic and help the terroir express itself through minimal intervention. Following these principals, each of them has proven that Beaujolais is more than just 'Nouveau' and can indeed produce meaningful, complex and wonderful wines.
Jean-Paul is solely making wines from the Morgon appellation, one of the 10 Grand Crus of Beaujolais. The average vine age is around 70 years, with one of the plots planted even before World War I! Grapes harvested manually as late as possible to achieve maximum ripeness. After a rigorous triage to only choose the healthiest berries, the whole clusters are being left to their own devices until indigenous yeast start fermentation naturally. Low temperatures over 15-25 days allow an extended skin contact, before the wines age on fine lees in 5-7 year-old oak Burgundian barrels for 6-8 months. Punchdowns only occur at the end of the vinification process. In alignment with the philosophy of natural winemaking, Jean-Paul Thévenet's wines do not undergo any fining or filtration.
Jean-Paul et Charly Thevenet
Nestled in the small village of Villié-Morgon in the wine producing region of Beaujolais, Jean-Paul Thévenet is leading his family's winery in the third generation. H...
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