Wines

A rare white Beaujolais, from young Chardonnay vines planted and tended biodynamically from a single parcel on the rolling slopes of silt, clay and sand soils above the cru Morgon. The grapes are hand-picked and undergo spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 3 weeks, followed by an elevage in barrel for 6 months. Ripe, fresh and mineral.

This is the primary production wine of Dubost from several parcels totalling ten hectares surrounding their home village of Lantignié, just south of Chiroubles and west of Régnié, with a terroir of Muscovite granite and blue clay. The gamay undergoes a classic semi-carbonic maceration of whole clusters over 15 days in steel tanks, with twice daily pump-overs, and is bottled in the spring with a light filtration and no added sulphur. The Beaujolais-Lantignié actually drinks more like a cru—which it may well become one day—and is frankly a terrific value. The aromas are lifted, tweaked by the barest hint of appetizing volatility, and the fruit and acidity are gorgeously interwoven.

Dubost owns three separate parcels farmed biodynamically in the crumbly grey granite (somewhere between sand and pebbles in consistency) of Le Potet: one 30 years old, one 50, and one nearly 70. Vinified and aged entirely in tank using classic semi-carbonic maceration, this wine combines snappy red fruits with just enough structure and savory minerality to remind one of Beaujolais’ proximity to the Northern Rhône.

From 50–80 year old Gamay parcels in three villages of northern Brouilly: Saint-Leger, Odener and Cercie. The slopes are a mix of clay, limestone, granite and blue schists. The harvest undergoes a semi-carbonic maceration of whole clusters over 2-4 weeks in concrete and steel tanks, with twice daily pump-overs. Bottled with a light filtration and minimal sulphur. 3,000 cases are produced per annum.

The “Pierreux” vineyard lies below the south base of Mont Brouilly with very stony, chalk soils. The harvest undergoes a semi-carbonic maceration of whole clusters over 2-4 weeks in concrete and steel tanks, with twice daily pump-overs and is bottled with a light filtration and minimal sulphur. The wine is powerful yet briskly mineral-driven—cool-toned and stony—with tight-grained dark fruit and tons of spice; indeed, notwithstanding its lighter emotional pitch and tannic structure, it may strike one as the southerly country cousin of Morey-Saint-Denis.

From 60 year old Gamay vines in the lieu-dit of “En Brenay” at the southern end of Moulin-à-Vent, with soils rich in manganese, granite and iron schists. The harvest undergoes a full carbonic maceration of whole clusters over one month in concrete and steel tanks, with twice daily pump-overs. Raised undisturbed through the winter in two-thirds concrete and steel tanks and one-third 500-liter barrels, 1–5 years of age. Bottled with a light filtration and minimal sulphur. 2,000 cases are produced on average each year. There’s an underlying warmth here, albeit one which is lifted by gorgeous spice; brooding and granular, this possesses a real depth of structure.

Ballofière is a high-altitude parcel for Morgon, situated at 350-370 meters with a west-to-south exposure and consisting of poor, schistous soil with a small amount of sand. Following a semi-carbonic maceration, Dubost incorporates 15% used demi-muids into the élevage here, with the balance done in tank. The pulpy, gently tannic palate offers darkly spiced fruit and a firm sense of minerality.

From arguably the Mount Olympus of Beaujolais vineyards, Jean-Paul’s Morgon “Côte de Py” (a slight derivation of the more common moniker, “Côte du Puy”) gives the kind of plush, wide-aspect-ratio fruit one expects from this fabled site, with a lurking, less bare-knuckled minerality than his other cru wines from Brouilly and Moulin-à-Vent. It is very sappy but without being at all syrupy and definitely justifies its price-point, in range with other excellent examples from this cru-within-a-cru. The wine sees pontaneous, full-bunch semi-carbonic maceration over a full month, followed by two winters raised in demi-muids. As with all the wines, no fining or filtering takes place at bottling.