【Vinous 93 pts】

ZF150A-Alex Foillard Cote de Brouilly 2018

$275/btl

Alex Foillard represents a new generation of Beaujolais winemakers. His vineyards and wines on the Côte de Brouilly are renowned for their distinct expression of terroir and low-intervention winemaking style.

The son of Jean Foillard, one of the "Big Four" of Beaujolais, Alex Foillard has been influenced by his family's philosophy of permaculture and natural winemaking since childhood. He studied agriculture in Montpellier and later earned a degree in viticulture in Beaune. In 2016, he acquired one hectare of vineyards in Brouilly and one in the Côte de Brouilly, and began independent winemaking. His vineyards are managed according to organic principles (uncertified), with hand-harvesting, natural yeast fermentation, no fining or filtration, and only a trace amount of sulfur dioxide added at bottling. This "less is more" approach ensures his wines retain pure fruit and minerality, earning him the nickname "very much of the Foillard family DNA."

Located in northern Beaujolais, the Côte de Brouilly encompasses the volcanic massif of Mont Brouilly and covers four communes, including Saint-Lager and Odenas. Vineyards are primarily located on steep slopes above 300 meters above sea level.

The soil is primarily granite with interspersed blue volcanic rock (Pierre Bleue), offering excellent drainage, which imparts robust structure and minerality to the grapes. The climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. Mont Brouilly's massif shields the region from cold winds and rain, creating a microclimate.

Compared to the wines of Brouilly below, the Côte de Brouilly wines possess greater depth and aging potential, often being described as the "Bourgogne of Beaujolais."

Vinous 93 pts

Bright violet. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes an array of red and bluefruits, pungent flowers and exotic spices, and a smoky mineral nuanceemerges as the wine gets air. Sweet, seamless and penetrating on thepalate, offering juicy, appealingly sweet boysenberry, cherry and rosepastille flavors that deepen through the back half while maintainingenergy. Shows fine definition and mineral cut on the strikingly long finish,which is given shape by silky, well.knit tannins.