Domaine Blain Soeur et Frere 2018 Brouilly Gamay

The Wine

Brouilly is the southernmost (and largest) of the ten Beaujolais "crus", which are the designated areas known to produce the best and most distinctively different versions of Beuajolais. The Brouilly cru takes its name from Mont Brouilly, which is home to one of the most aptly name chapels in all of France, the 'Notre-Dame aux Raisins'.

This is a fruit-driven wine expressing the plums-and-red-fruit side of the Gamay grape. Look for mineral notes and approachable tannins that allow this wine to be enjoyable immediately. If you prefer a bit of bottle bouquet in your red wine, lay this one down for up to seven years, then drink it over the following 3 years.

A panoramic viewpoint has been set up at the top of Mont Brouilly as a showcase of the region’s diverse geology.

The Winery

A Sister-Brother act (Soeur et Frere), Marc-Antonin Blain manages the 14 acres of vineyards for Domaine Blain, while Lucie manages all esle.  The house style is one relying on semi-carbonic fermentation (closed tanks for 30-40% of the clusters), just enough to add the tell-tale aromatics of Beaujolais. Fermentation occurs with native yeasts and the wine is aged for 12 months in stainless steel, though experiments are underway with some aging in oak barrels and casks. Stay tuned!