We have Jean Foillard’s “baby” wine back in the shop!

We’re giving first crack to our Newsletter subscribers, so be sure to sign up below:

Who is Jean Foillard and why should you care about his Beaujolais Villages?

Because Foillard is one of the few true legends of Beaujolais. A colleague of Marcel Lapierre, he was part of the Gang that pretty much invented natural wine as a thing (you can read more about his role at the link).

But his wines aren’t noteworthy for their naturalness – not really. Foillard (and his Beaujo-buds) helped to build Beaujolais’ reputation back from the nadir of 1980s Nouveau overproduction.

Flat out: His wines are among France’s great wines of terroir.

In fact, Foillard’s Morgon’s are among the few true collectibles in Beaujolais, in the company of such superstar bottles as Metras’ Ultime, and Lapierre’s Cuvee Camille and Cuvee Marcel Lapierre. But you don’t have to fight for bottles of his Cuvee 3.14 or Cote du Py to see what all the fuss is about, because Foillard also makes a Beaujolais Village of absolutely unreal quality. 

Is Beaujolais Villages worth your while? We just did a little explainer on the difference between Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages, and the Beaujolais Crus -- and you should read it if you want the details. 

But in a nutshell: Yes, Beaujolais Villages is well worth your attention! It’s a region that covers an area of diverse terroirs between the Beaujolais AOC (to the South) and the Beaujolais Crus (to the North). 

Some of the villages in Beaujolais Village make wines that are light and easy-going, much like Beaujoais AOC. Others are in the hills with very minerally soils and make wines more like the Crus: still pretty, with silky fruit and Gamay’s floral aromatics, but with more complex flavors, minerality, and more depth. 

Foillard’s Beaujolais Village comes from a few sites just outside the cru villages, in the communes of Lancié, Saint-Amour, Saint-Jean-d’Ardières, Perréon, and Régnié-Durette. These are areas that might have had some trouble ripening, back before global warming. But today they make perfectly ripe fruit with classic Beaujolais freshness. 

It’s an astonishingly pure wine, and classic Foillard: smooth and seductive, with rose petals, red cherry, and the granite crunch from those amazing, stony hills.

It’s lighter than his benchmark Morgons, and the juicy florality is accompanied by just enough tannin to let it stand up to light meals. So, while it isn’t a steak wine, it will be great on its own, or with snacks while you’re making dinner, or with a dinner of fish, fowl, white meat, etc. 

Of course, this is wine by a master and there isn’t too much to go around. We’re going to offer it first to our Newsletter subscribers tomorrow, at a very special price. So to be sure you get your bottles, sign up now.

As a special bonus, you’ll be able to read about four other amazing wines we’re offering at special, Newsletter only discounts!