Why are the wines of Alex Foillard so deliciously enchanting: is it nurture or is it nature?

He was raised in the vines by his father, the preeminent Beaujolais vigneron Jean Foillard, and has the... Read More

Why are the wines of Alex Foillard so deliciously enchanting: is it nurture or is it nature?

He was raised in the vines by his father, the preeminent Beaujolais vigneron Jean Foillard, and has the same deft touch and attention to detail. His philosophy doesn’t stray too far from that of the Gang of Four, whose hands-off approach to winemaking changed the way we think of wine.

From a young age Alex knew he wanted to carry on his father’s legacy, crafting wines of extreme purity and precision. After earning a degree in Beaune, he embarked on a string of internships, a trip that led him to Japan, Australia and closer to home, in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

In 2016, at just 24 years old, he purchased a couple of hectares of land, in Brouilly and Cote-de-Brouilly, and began making wine inspired by—but by no means identical to—that of Foillard pere. Just like papa, Alex is devoted to organic farming, native yeast fermentation and allowing terroir and fruit to speak for themselves, with no additives save a bit of SO2 at bottling.

It’s wonderful to think that every great winemaker can beget a winemaking dynasty—but that just isn’t feasible. This is why we were so thrilled to taste Alex’s wines and find them in a league of their own! These are lovely, silky wines with gorgeous, crystalline fruit and minerality for days.