Jean Foillard

An essential name in Beaujolais , a pioneer of Vin Naturel alongside Marcel Lapierre and Co, Jean Foillard began his career as a winemaker with his father in the family estate and produced his first vintage in 1981. However, it was in 1985 that he set up his own business in the commune of Villié-Morgon , the nerve centre of the Beaujolais vineyards. At that time, the estate only covered 8 ha, today it covers 22 ha, including a brand new plot purchased… of Chardonnay ! Here the working method is intended to be as natural as possible, but what we believe above all is that the more the viticulture, the work of the vineyard, is respectful of its terroir and natural, the better the grapes will be, the healthier they will be and therefore the better the fermentations will be... And the better the wines will taste!
Because Jean bases his winemaking work on the traditional Beaujolais method : the grapes just harvested (at good maturity it goes without saying) are left to rest in a cold room, between 10 and 12°, for a whole night. The vats are then filled with the latter, (whole and cooled bunches) before they are closed, without any exogenous CO2 or pumping over. All for a period of 2-3 weeks. The aging is then done in barrels of several wines for 80% of the juices and in concrete vats for the rest. A very light dose of sulfur can be added during bottling (2.5g/hl). This estate is today recognized as a classic of classics, but one that we never tire of, and that is the mark of the greats!