Domaine De Colette Beaujolais Villages

Domaine de Colette is in the small village of Lantignie, regarded as the top village in the cru of Regnie.
Run by the humble Jacky Gauthier, it was founded by his father Rene. Gauthier studied enology at the tender age of 17 and immediately started working with his father in the vineyards. Their steep pink granite vineyards are home to vines of about 45 years old, but one plot, called Colette, reaching over 80 years. The grapes undergo carbonic maceration followed by a gentle pressing. A pleasant ruby-red colour, the wine presents fresh red fruit flavours in its youth, but over time evolve into delightful complex ripe fruit flavours.

100% Gamay,

The vineyards are cultivated using Haute Valeur Environnementale, a stricter practice than Lutte Raisonnee and very minimal intervention as Jacky’s approach is ecological. Only organic manure is used as well as grassing over and shallow ploughing. The soil is granitic and the bush trained vines average 40 years old. The harvest is all carried out by hand with yields never exceeding 45 hl per ha.

The hand harvested grapes and sorted on arrival to ensure that only the best fruit is used. Whole bunches of grapes are then vatted (no de-stalking or crushing). Vinification is carried out using the traditional Beaujolais method where the bunches are kept whole and the fermentation starts inside the individual grapes. This process of carbonic maceration results in juicy wines with low levels of supple tannin.

A light aromatic wine with an abundance of juicy red fruit aromas. Bright and flavoursome with supple tannins that are beautifully integrated. The acidity is just right to keep the wine lively and refreshing.

This makes for a great aperitif or try it with barbequed meats or goats cheese.