Description
Jean Foillard is universally recognised as one of the very best Beaujolais producers and is one of the band of 4 of Morgon with Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thevenet and Marcel Lapierre.
Jean met Jules Chauvet early in his career and became an un-official member of “La Bande a Marcel”. Chauvet’s mantra was that winemaking should be a natural process. He felt that great winemaking started in the vineyard with vigorous canopy management, absolutely no use of chemicals on the vines, low or no use of sulphur etc.
Foillard now uses minimal interventionist viticulture, but his wines are neither officially organic nor biodynamic even though he actually applies many of the rules. What’s in a name? What is more important for him, he says, is the result in the bottle, and the certifications on the labels are not his first concern.
Tasting Notes
Jean Foillard’s Beaujolais Blanc is a rare and precise wine made from 100% Chardonnay grown on a small limestone- and granite-based terroir in Saint-Jean-d’Ardières, crafted with minimal intervention. Vinification begins with a short cold maceration of whole clusters, followed by ageing in concrete tanks, old barrels and stoneware jars, reflecting the domaine’s natural philosophy. The wine stands out for its pale colour and delicate nose of white flowers, citrus and pear, supported by a remarkable mineral and saline backbone. On the palate, it is vibrant, pure and elegant, offering freshness, mineral tension and refined balance, making it ideal with fish or light dishes.
