Jean Foillard’s 2023 Beaujolais-Villages has just landed and it’s another home run for this iconic vigneron. Year after year, this cuvée delivers that uniquely elegant Foillard magic at a fraction of the price of his top Morgon and Fleurie bottlings. The 2023 is absolutely gorgeous right out of the gate, and we couldn’t wait to share it with you.

Foillard is one of Beaujolais’ true legends. Alongside the likes of Marcel Lapierre and Yvon Métras, he is part of the generation who put natural wine on the map. But his wines aren’t noteworthy just because they’re natural — not really. They’re noteworthy because they are outrageously delicious and among France’s great wines of terroir. 
 
Though this is “just” a humble Beaujolais-Villages, it delivers serious terroir. It’s sourced from mature vines, 20 to 55 years old, on granite-rich soils in famous villages such as Morgon and lesser-known areas like Lancié. Organically farmed fruit is harvested by hand, then vinified in cement vats. Before bottling, they receive just a kiss of sulfur to keep everything crisp and clean.

The wine bursts with electric red fruits balanced by an alluring mineral backbone from those granite soils. It’s light, fresh, and a total joy to drink, but it’s also got the depth and seriousness to keep you coming back for sip after sip. Served with a chill, this is perhaps the ultimate summer red.

Jean Foillard, Beaujolais-Villages, 2023 $31.99