Domaine Dupeuble may be our Platonic ideal of the Beaujolais AOC producer. The family's vines (it's a family Domaine and has been for centuries) are in the south of Beaujolais, miles from the trendy Crus.... Read More

Domaine Dupeuble may be our Platonic ideal of the Beaujolais AOC producer. The family's vines (it's a family Domaine and has been for centuries) are in the south of Beaujolais, miles from the trendy Crus. But the terroir has plenty of granite, as well as clay and limestone. They also have very old vines. Their "basic" Beaujolais has vines that are 50-100 years old!

They farm sustainably (avoiding chemical inputs) and work very naturally, including with natural yeasts only. They ferment using Beaujolais' signature whole cluster "carbonic maceration," and make wines that are fresh, juicy and accessible but that are absolutely 100% legit expressions of the terroir and the vintage. The wines are great for hanging out with friends or sipping with a simple meal. But if you stop and look, you'll see there's more there than first meets the eye.

Dupeuble isn't the trendiest producer in Beaujolais, but it is one of the great ones -- and certainly among the best values.