2022 Chateau de la Terriere Brouilly Beaujolais 750 ml

Lyon is said to be a city of three rivers: the Rhône, the Saône… and the Beaujolais, whose ruby-colored liquid is crucial to the revelry and gastronomy that made the city famous. 

Serious wine lovers have long known that there’s Beaujolais, then there’s cru Beaujolais—and within that proud category, there’s an upper echelon.

That’s where Château de la Terrière dwells. The estate has existed in the commune of Cercié since the 1500s, and as such, it’s one of the oldest estates in the region. The vines, which cover over 60 acres, average a half-century in age, sitting on the middle slope of a granite-laden hill. 

The soil comprises decomposed pink granite, mixed with sand and stones, atop deep reserves of clay. Yoan Pitoiset, the director for the château, makes it his mission to make wines that reflect the domaine’s terroir. To that end, he vinifies the Brouilly with whole bunches, traditional in the region, giving them a 15-day maceration. After nine months in concrete vats, the wine is bottled. 

What resulted in the fabulous 2022 season was a bottle that does cru Beaujolais proud—one that earned a staggering 96 points from the Decanter World Wine Awards. Their note reads like the description of the Beaujolais ideal: “Beautiful sweet cassis, strawberry and savoury character. Smoothly textured with notes of dark chocolate. Supple tannins supported by lingering violet notes on finish.”

Beaujolais enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a perfect match for a range of foods, from bistro-style steak frites and burgers to grilled tuna and vegetables—and it’s just perfect on its own, served just above cellar temp. This is a fantastic bottle from a top-flight producer.