Jean-Paul et Charly Thévenet 'Tradition' Morgon AOC 2021

Jean-Paul Thévenet is somewhat of a legend in Beaujolais, known for taking over his family’s domaine in 1976 and eliminating synthetic treatments in his vines to produce wine using hand-harvested fruit fermented whole-cluster with vineyard yeasts and very little added sulfur. His son Charly began working in cellars as a teenager (most notably with another well-known maker in the region, Marcel Lapierre), then struck out on his own for a bit to get a hang of biodynamic agriculture and finally returned home to help his father. Now, they work together under one label, using old vines, concentrating on sustainable farming and low-intervention winemaking. This gamay comes from 50-60 years old vines grown in granite and alluvial sands, treated with herbal infusions and natural composts. Pruning, racking and bottling were done in accordance with the lunar calendar. Pure black currants and brambly fruit compote are the core flavors here, underscored by deep earth and minerals, and framed by soft tannins. Organically grown, biodynamically grown, low-intervention/natural wine.