Domaine de la Madone

Brothers Bererd, the driving force behind Domaine de la Madone, proudly fly the flag for the tiny village of Le Perréon where they craft stunning Beaujolais wines. The key to producing good wine in Beaujolais is the location and it is the 10 Crus of the region that hosts the best terroir for complex, age-worthy Gamay...but Le Perréon is the region's best-kept secret. Unknown by most, this village just to the west of Brouilly boasts the very same pink, granite soils of one of the region's most sought-after Crus, Fleurie. This is alongside some of the highest-altitude vineyards in the appellation and many vines with over 100 years of age. Wines from Le Perréon, the most exciting of which are produced at the hands of Domaine de la Madone, deliver concentrated bramble fruits, baking spices, and a subtle earthiness; wines of elegance, structure, and real age-worthiness for a fraction of the price of a Cru.

Olivier and Bruno are the third generation Bererd to manage this certified organic vineyard, where their Gamay vines reach heights of over 600m. Their incredibly steep vineyard sites must be tended to entirely by hand and they take great care over their gnarly old vines, which are undeniably low-yielding but produce reliably ripe grapes. Mineral-rich, pink granite soils impart a magical complexity into their Beaujolais Villages Le Pérreon. The grapes are hand-harvested and fermentation begins using indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. A period of aging in tank follows, with the brothers preferring inert vessels to preserve the primary freshness of their wine. Domaine de la Madone's Le Perréon is bottled without fining or filtration, a wine that we loved from the first sip but will also age gracefully over the coming decade.

There are whispers that Le Perréon should be the next Cru added to the official designations so we're excited to have this dynamic winery on board before the secret's out!