Anthony Thévenet is making the kind of Beaujolais that we love: honest, terroir-driven, and a joy to drink. The wines – especially his Côte du Py – also have a cerebral side, and remind us... Read More
Anthony Thévenet is making the kind of Beaujolais that we love: honest, terroir-driven, and a joy to drink. The wines – especially his Côte du Py – also have a cerebral side, and remind us of the best of the older generation of Beaujolais winemakers.
Perhaps this is because Thévenet (not to be confused with Kermit Lynch-imported Jean-Paul Thévenet) has close contact with the previous generation; he was mentored by Beaujolais greats Jean Foillard and Georges Descombes. Anthony follows in their footsteps by farming organically, fermenting with indigenous yeasts, and minimizing sulfur usage.
Thévenet makes several bottlings from Morgon, possibly our favorite Beaujolais cru. The straight Morgon, culled from multiple parcels (including Douby and Corcelette), is the lightest of the bunch. It still has the weight of the cru, however, and all the licorice and violet notes that make the cru so beloved. is an all-out joy to drink.
The vieilles vignes bottling comes from two plots. One was planted in 1935, the other 1865. The latter vines are pre-phylloxera. The old-vines magic is really here, with a sense of ‘weightless concentration’ and almost Pinot-like elegance. It’s sort of everything the regular Morgon has, but turned up a notch.
Thévenet also makes a bottling from Morgon’s most famous site: Côte du Py. In fact, “Cuvée Julia” comes from a very specific, 1ha plot of vines from this famous hill. The vines were planted in 1935. Like the Côte du Py of Jean Foillard, this is very complex and quite structured, fresh but possessing a deep, dark mineral core. If you're looking for a Beaujolais that can age — or even be paired with steak — this is it.
