Domaine Thillardon, Gamay, Chénas "Vibrations" Beaujolais, Burgundy, France 2023

This 100% organic Chénas from Paul-Henri Thillardon is made from a blend of young vines and some old vines in Chassignol (granitic soil) with 40-year-old vines in the lieux-dits Les Blémonts and Les Carrières (alluvial soil).

The wine undergoes 100% whole-cluster fermentation in concrete tank for 16 days, with élevage in concrete and neutral wood (various sizes) for 8-9 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, "Vibrations" provides a fresh, vibrant snapshot of Chénas from young and old vines in various terroirs.

Paul-Henri Thillardon grew up in southern Beaujolais, where his family grew grapes to sell to the local co-op. He often worked in the vines as a kid and aspired to one day make his own wine. At age twenty-one, he purchased vineyard land in the cru of Chénas, seeing potential in an appellation that lacked the superstar talent of nearby Morgon and Fleurie. He farmed organically from the start and soon became exposed to the world of natural wine, eagerly taking advice from mentors such as Guy Breton, Jean-Louis Dutraive, and Yvon Métras.

Thillardon's holdings cover a range of terroirs across Chénas, the smallest of the ten crus in Beaujolais. Chassignol, just above the winery, is the appellation’s highest climat, where ancient vines climb a steep slope of sandy granite. Other parcels sit on deeper alluvial soils down in the heart of Chénas, and the Thillardons have also added vineyards in neighboring Moulin-à-Vent, giving them a varied palette of terroirs with which to play.

In the cellar, the influence of local legends such as the Gang of Four led Paul-Henri to adopt whole-cluster vinifications and reduce sulfur use. Precision and attentiveness in the cellar allow him to bottle his wines unfiltered with a bare minimum of sulfur, sometimes none at all.

The Thillardons have earned a reputation for their fresh, low-alcohol, silky expressions of Gamay from a previously unheralded corner of Beaujolais’ crus. The purity and vibrancy of their cuvées put them in elite company with the region’s most talented vignerons, brilliantly utilizing natural methods to create terroir-driven wines full of pleasure and conviviality.