Domaine du Clos du Fief “La Roche” Beaujolais-Villages

50+ year old vines. Vines from Les Côtes de la Roche just west of Juliénas in the hamlet of Jullié 350 meters in altitude and on a clear day you can see Mont Blanc! High density planting: 10,000 vines/ha Steep slopes of crushed granite, blue stones – with the bedrock very close Semi-carbonic vinification in large upright wooden barrels Aged in tank after malolactic fermentation There are many terroir parallels between Jullié and Juliénas. This is a character-rich, expressive Gamay from just outside of Beaujolais’ band of “cru” villages. Certainly one of the finest values for serious quality anywhere; floral, aromatic and full of intensely layered red fruits. Domaine du Clos du Fief is run by our friend Michel Tête, with his son Sylvain working alongside. This is a rare 4th generation Cru estate in Juliénas and Julie, based at the far Northwest sector of Beaujolais. The history of these great villages dates back more than 2,000 years and trace their names to Julius Caesar. Vines were grown on the high altitude hillsides of Juliénas and Jullié (a granite rich Beaujolais-Villages Cru that mimics its more famous neighbor) in the Gallo-Roman period. Michel took over this history-rich land after studying in Beaune, where he learned many techniques that he now uses on his own wines to great acclaim. Michel harkens his wines back to the classics: low yields, meticulously farmed vineyards, and classic winemaking resulting in serious and mouthwatering examples of terroir driven reds.