France, Beaujolais

The Rochette family estate was new to us at the end of 2009, and a very happy discovery indeed. The Beaujolais Villages and Régnié come from 50 year-old vines on stony-sandy soils on a granite bedrock,. The Rochettes work with a very traditional but also clearly very rigorous approach to the viticulture, and, as usual in Beaujolais, where the 'gobelet' training of the vines make them impossible to work by machine, they hand-pick and make a severe selection in the vineyard. Vinification is traditional, in cuve, to make wines which accentuate fruit purity.
The wines have a real identity of their own - as Matthieu says 'it is the terroir that gives us the distinction to the wines - we do not interfere in the cellar - and they all come from the same grape' - Gamay. When tasting the line up in the cellars with the family this incredible distinction could not have been more clear - from the bouncy Beaujolais Villages through the Régniés and on to the Morgon distinct personalities are dramatically different - fascinating. Very sadly Joël died in 2015 - but Matthieu is continuing his father's great work without missing a beat ably supported by his wonderful mother, Chantal. These wines simply sing. Charming and real - a great bargain from these beautiful rolling hills.