Beaujolais - CÔTE DE BROUILLY: Mineral Monsters Awaken in the Glass!

Beaujolais Series 10 / 14

By Stuart Pigott – last revision: 18.04.26

Vineyard Area: 314 hectares (2024)

Proportion of Total Production: 2.5% (2024) 

Appellation Established: 1938

Being a wine journalist means you must try to put aside your personal preferences, but that’s difficult for me when confronted with this exciting appellation. So, here’s my best shot at being expressive and balanced… 

PART ONE: Thivin Then, Now and Forever!

Many Beaujolais fans around Planet Wine are sure that the Côte de Py of Morgon is the outstanding volcanic feature in Beaujolais. I've absolutely nothing against Morgon, but the most imposing volcanic formation in the region is unquestionably Mont Brouilly, the peak of which rises to 484 meters above sea level (Côte de Py is 352 meters). You see it from a great many places in the northern two-thirds of the region and on my tasting trips it’s been my almost constant companion. Mont Brouilly always made me think of a vast and ancient monster, today slumbering but one day to awaken. However, unlike the Monster itself the wines of the Côte de Brouilly have well and truly awoken. What does that mean?

Beautiful wines have long been made here due to the tradition of excellence at Château Thivin. They always have a sensual appeal that’s frank, joyful, unmistakable. Deep and Delicious! How often have I been on the road, near my home in Germany or on the other side of Planet Wine, and by ordering a bottle of Côte de Brouilly from Château Thivin I’ve made someone’s evening? Many times. I owe a big thank you to the Australian wine journalist Nick Stock (we then both worked for James Suckling) who cemented this connection for me in a Bouchon wine bar in Lyon in early 2019 and made it possible for me to pass this experience on to others. Those moments of connection are unforgettable!

And as you can see from the notes below, the wines that Claude Edouard Geoffray and his Swiss wife Sonja Geoffray make stand out both because of their combination of strength of character and their sensual beauty. They’re French classics in the best sense of those words, lacking any hint of self-importance or the snobbism that it so often leads to. One of the advantages of the graceful and juicy, moderately extracted style of the Château Thivin wines is how they drink so well from release. The one exception that always needed longer is the Cuvée Zacharie (named after the winery’s founder Zaccharie Geoffray), which is matured for almost a year in used Burgundian barrels, instead of the larger oak foudre used for the other wines. Although it is never dominant, that oak needs a bit of time to fully integrate. 

Proving they aren’t standing still Claude Edouard and Sonja just releases their first Côte de Brouilly Anima Montis, the 2023. It was matured in ceramic eggs specially made for them with crushed volcanic rock from their vineyards mixed in the materials. It’s a great expression of this terroir that’s very different to their other wines, and it's made for the long term (decant the 2023 if you want to drink it now). There’s also an experimental red cuvée made from new fungal resistant varieties. And a new training system has also been introduced in the young vineyards around the picturesque miniature Château (in Le Clos) with the aim of easing cultivation and improving wine quality.

PART TWO: The Secret of the Partisans of Beauty

Now we must abruptly turn to the most important newcomers to this dynamic appellation: Sébastien Dupré and Guillaume Goujon of Domaine Dupré-Goujon who make radical, beautifully crafted expressions of three lieux-dits, or single-vineyars, in Côte de Brouilly: La Pavé, L’Hérone and Les Brûhliés. Note that the last of these is the original spelling of the mountain’s name that was, understandably, changed before the appellation was established. 

Dupré-Gougon is a biodynamic winery, but not one of those with winemakers who sound like salesmen for mysticism. In fact, I talked much more with Guillaume about the long maturation process he puts his wines through than cow horns and lunar cycles. It typically starts with one year in used Burgundian oak, then continuesin the nextdoor cellar with a further year to 18 months in concrete tanks. The 2023 reds from those three lieux-dits haven’t been released yet, although most top producers already have 2024 in bottle, often on sale too. I don’t know of anyone else in the region who does it in quite this way. Scroll down to see what a stunning wine Dupré-Gougon produced in the very challenging 2021 vintage!

The combination of these things and a lot of precise work in the vineyard results in extremely complex wines with a dramatic beauty that’s light years removed from the Beaujolais mainstream - or any otherfor that matter!  And the decisive element of the Dupré-Goujon wines, the thing which gives their remarkable energy, is their incredible minerality. Now, the Burgundians go on and on about terroir and minerality, but rarely do those wines - and I am also talking about Grand Crus from leading domaines - have anything like this mineral intensity.    

As we have seen with Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly is about many things, but if I have to pin down what makes this appellation so extraordinary it is the fundamental minerality that runs like a vein of gold - sometimes thicker, sometimes just a thread - through all the good and great wines. It is so common I could have written the M-Word in almost every tasting, but I decided that I shouldn’t bore you swith endless repetition!

Let me explain moreprecisely what I mean. At the other end of the stylistic spectrum to Dupré-Goujon are the rich and fleshy wines of Jean-Claude Lavorel’s Château des Ravatys, but even at 14.5% alcohol the 2023 vintage wines have a pronounced minerality that makes them taste bright and makes themanimating. Then, there’s Célia et David Large only make one wine from this appellation, but it’s a unique and compelling expression of the mountian’s stony soul. And yet another contrast: the precise and polished wines of Château de La Chaize (see my story about Brouilly for more) could hardly be more different in style. However, here too the minerality pushes through the beautiful fruit with soaring voice, announcing the volcanic truth that reachces out from the soil through the vine, grape and wine towards the sun and the moon!  

41 tasting notes, two with 97 and three with 96

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PART THREE: Mineral Monsters in the Glass! 

2024 REDS

Jonathan Buisson (Domaine les Roches Bleues)  Côte de Brouilly  La Baraquée  2024 – 13% / A very smoky expression of this appellation with some savoury and violet pastilles character. Very animating interplay of restrained richness and wet-stone freshness at the rather long finish. 91

Jonathan Buisson (Domaine les Roches Bleues)  Côte de Brouilly  Lieu-dit L’Héronde  2024 – 13% / At once joyful, deep and delicate, but with stacks of savoury mineral character this is a real discovery. I love the violet aroma that develops with some aeration in glass and the complexity of the precisely structured finish. 94 

Cave du Château des Loges  Côte de Brouilly  Les 3 Madones  2024 – 13% / Well rounded with supple tannins, generous blueberry fruit and a touch savory character, this is easy to enjoy, but lacks a bit of energy. 89 

Château de La Chaize  Côte de Brouilly Lieu-dit “Chavannes”  2024 – 13% / A very stony expression of Côte de Brouilly with excellent concentration and a linear tannin structure that drives this over the palate with serious energy. Needs some time in bottle to show its best. The ripe sour cherry and spicy aromas are fascinating, and there's great restrained power at the finish. From a corner of this appellation with granite soil and west exposure. 95

Château de La Chaize  Côte de Brouilly Lieu-dit “Brulhié”  2024 – 13% / Great ripeness and concentration for the vintage, also a dense, precisely contoured tannin structure. The smoky minerality expands and expands. Situated in the middle to the top of the south-facing side of the mountain. Beautifully integrated acidity. Really needs some time to give its best. 95

Château Thivin  Côte de Brouilly  Les Sept Vignes  2024 – 13% / Generous and zesty with aromas of blood orange and sour cherry. Quite some tannins and a crisp acidity, but these fit together very well and the fruit is stronger than. Long, sleek and vibrant finish. From 7 parcels with volcanic diorite soil, but different exposures and altitudes. The Kermit Lynch bottling is similar, but unfiltered. 93

Château Thivin  Côte de Brouilly  Le Clos  2024 – 13% / This has an appealing richness that’s married to discreet notes of liquorice, cherry pastilles and ripe strawberries. Ample substance, fine tannins and some stony-smoky minerality. A positive touch of blood orange freshness at the long, delightfully rounded finish. 94

Château Thivin  Côte de Brouilly  Les Griottes de Brulhié  2024 – 13% / Expressive, yet delicate, aromas of blood orange and wild strawberry that are still very youthful. Quite a serious tannin structure for this appellation, but they are already polished. Crisp, long finish with plenty of fruity vitality. From the south-facing side of the hill of Brouilly where the soil is volcanic diorite. 94

Château Thivin  Côte de Brouilly  La Chapelle  2024 – 13% / Quite a radical expression of the appellation, although the tannin structure is by no means enormous. Subtle threads of beetroot and smoky minerality are interwoven with the sour cherry character to give this a wonderful tension right through the long, refined finish. From high up on the south-facing side of the hill of Brouilly from 80 plus year old vines on volcanic diorite soil. 95

Château Thivin  Côte de Brouilly  Cuvée Zacharie  2024 – 13% / The smokiness of this terroir and an oaky smokiness complement each other beautifully in this seriously concentrated wine with a stunning structure on the compact, medium-bodied palate.  Still needs a bit of time to fully integrate the oak, but the long, dark finish is already very impressive. Matured for almost 12 months in used Burgundian oak barrels. 95

Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Gamay  Pierres Bleues  2024 – 13% / Crisp and youthful with birght red cherry and wild herb aromas this manages to be simultaneously light and well-structured. Racy, mineral acidity drives the expressive finish. A cuvée from this producer’s three vineyard sites. Cask sample: 93?

Domaine Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Lieut-dit “Le Pavé”  2024 – 13% / Super-vivid with laser-bright red cherry fruit and a shining wet-stone minerality and racy blood orange acidity that lights up the sky! From a high-altitude vineyard on the eastern side of the hill with volcanic diorite soil. Cask sample: 94?

Domaine Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Lieut-dit “L’Héronde”  2024 – 13% / Great smoky complexity! Bursting with blood orange, pink grapefruit and sour cherry fruit. Bladerunner stony minerality at the super-long and dynamic finish. From vineyards on the southeastern side of the hill with diorite volcanic soil. Cask sample: 95?

Domaine Lafarge Vial  Côte de Brouilly Brulhié  2024 – 13% / A very fragrant expression of this great terroir with aromas of violets and red roses. Still very youthful, the fine-grained tannins and wet-stone acidity needing some more bottle age to integrate, but the wine has terrific drive at the long, very structured finish. 94

Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes (Nicole et Romain Chanrion)  Côte-de-Brouilly  2024  - ??% / Cool, crisp and elegant, this is a prototypical wine for the appellation that deftly marries lightness and firm depth (in which stony minerality is interwoven with fine tannins). Still very youthful at the long, structured finish. 93

Olivier Pezenneau  Côte-de-Brouilly Lieu-dit: La Poyebade  2024 – 13.5% / Although this isn’t terribly concentrated it’s a prototypical expression of this great terroir: sleek and very mineral with a blood orange freshness that’s animating rather than tart. In fact, the finish is silky. 91

2023 REDS

Jonathan Buisson (Domaine les Roches Bleues)  Côte de Brouilly  Lieu-dit Brulhié  2023 – 14% / The interplay of delicate funk and fragrance is remarkable and this is dangerously fresh for a wine with this much savoury and earthy power. And as the juicy wild blackberry and strawberry fruit expands in the glass this becomes ever more exciting! Quite some tannic power and liquorice character at the finish. 93 

Château des Ravatys  Côte de Brouilly  Cuvée Mathilde  2023 – 14.5% / This is a big, structured wine, but the vibrancy of Gamay and the appellation  keep it on track. Almost too much wild blackberry and black cherry, but the impressive energy pulls you irresistibly along for this exciting ride! Where did all the alcohol go to? It’s very hard to find. 93

Château des Ravatys  Côte de Brouilly  Cuvée Auguste  2023 – 14.5% / This concentrated wine has very fine tannins, dazzling wet-stone freshness and excellent savoury complexity. Very long, laser-bright finish! And after it aerates a bit a cornucopia of forest berries pours from the glass. 95

Château des Ravatys  Côte de Brouilly  Cuvée Réserve  2023 – 14.5% / How can a wine with 14.5% alcohol, this concentration and enormously deep tannin structure be so refined? Although the power shows at the crescendo finish, on the front-palate this seems almost delicate. Astonishing wet-stone freshness at the very long and compact finish. 95

Château Thivin Côte de Brouilly  Anima Montis  2023 – 13% / What a beautiful wine! Very deep fruits rouge, liquorice and wild strawberry aromas, but also a terrific minerality, and fine tannins that give this a wonderful almost creamy texture at the front. Very long finish that’s so fresh and so texturally complex. From the Brulhié and Le Clos sites, this was matured in 5 ceramic eggs made with crushed volcanic rock. 96

Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly  Gamay  Pierres Bleues  2023 – 13.5% / What an uplifting wine for the ripe 2023 vintage, like a flower reaching out to the sun! The bright acidity and aroma of redcurrant, but also a wealthy of stony character and fine-grained tannins. Such a joyfully youthful finish! 93

Domaine Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Lieut-dit “Brulhié”  2023 – 13% / Quite a powerful wine for Côte-de-Brouilly with a savoury dimension that’s rare here. There’s a terrific interplay between this and concentrated fine-grained tannins and stony minerality. Just beginning to show the first touch of mature character. From a vineyard at the southern tip of the appellation with south-easterly exposure. 95

Domaine Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Lieut-dit “Le Pavé”  2023 – 13,5% / The interplay of dark, wild berry aromas and mountain freshness is as breathtaking as the concentration and precision of this dazzling expression of this terroir. Then the wine takes off at the finish like a rocket heading to the next star! From a high-altitude vineyard on the eastern side of the hill with volcanic diorite soil. 97

Domaine Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Lieut-dit “L’Héronde”  2023 – 13.5% / At once concentrated, fleshy and extremely elegant, this masterpiece invigorates body and soul! In spite of its youthfulness this has stunning sour cherry and wild strawberry fruit, plus precisely-contoured fine tannins and great wet-stone minerality. Incredibly long finish! From vineyards on the southeastern side of the hill with diorite volcanic soil. 97

Célia et David Large  Côte de Brouilly Lieu-dit Le Pavé  2023 – 13.5% / The breathtaking bouquet of violets and wet stones pulls you into this extremely concentrated and refined expression of this great terroir! This is pure velvet, at once dense and deeply structured, yet also seemingly weightless, gliding over your palate in a manner I find frankly erotic! 96

Domaine D’Argenson  Côte de Brouilly  Cuvée Paler  2023 – 13% / The combination of smoky and roasted meat aromas withe ripe red berries is striking, the imposing tannin structure too. Plenty of drive, but still very young. Compact and emphatically dry finish. 93 

Domaine D’Argenson  Côte de Brouilly  Cuvée Brulhié  2023 – 13% / This has so much structure, but manages to be so elegant on the focused and very mineral palate. Logically, I can’t see how violets can be juicy, but that’s exactly what the long finish of this wine made me think of. 94

Domaine Ruet  Côte de Brouilly Bruhlié  2023 – 13% / The interplay of wild blackberry fruit, roasted meat character, fine tannins and crisp acidity makes this an exciting expression of the appellation. Plenty of depth at the long, well-structured finish. 92

Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes (Nicole et Romain Chanrion)  Côte-de-Brouilly  2023 - ??% / Exactly ripe with a wealth of cherry, strawberry and sour cherry aromas, this is a delicious wine that’s juicy, elegant and well-structured. Very long crisp finish. 93  

2022 REDS

Pierre André Dumas  Côte de Brouilly  2022 – 13.5% / Super-smoky with intense savoury and balsamic vinegar notes, this is either going to blow your mind or make you blow out! Quite a densely tannic finish too. 91

Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Gamay  Pierres Bleues  2022 – 13% / Boldly-structured, but sleek and crisp for the 2022. Excellent depth of red fruit aromas. Very lively, yes youthful for the vintage. 92

Domaine D’Argeson  Côte de Brouilly  Cuvée Paler  2022 – 13% / Deep, meaty and savoury, this powerfully structured wine is beginning to mature nicely. Less assertive and muscular at the finish than the first impression suggested. In fact, it has a lightness of touch at the finish. 93  

Domaine H  Côte de Brouilly  2022 – 13% / Lovely generous red fruit with a touch of watermelon character. Restrained, warm tannins and an elegant acidity through the long finish. Everything fits together very neatly and there’s still so much life. Vinified at Domaine Dupré-Goujon. 93

Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes (Nicole et Romain Chanrion)  Côte-de-Brouilly  2022 - ??% / Rich and fleshy, but with suave tannins for the vintage, this is an elegant expression of the hot and dry vintage. I love the long, velvety finish as much as the dark and rich aromas. 93 

2021 REDS

Domaine Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Lieut-dit “Le Pavé” 2021 – 12.5% / Very expressive red floral aromas plus delicate notes of wild herbs. Sleek and racy, but without any of the greenness or the rough edges that many 2021 wines had. Plenty of healthy tannins and Amalfi lemon freshness at the very long finish. 95

Domaine Dupré-Goujon  Côte de Brouilly Lieut-dit “L’Héronde”  2021 – 13.5% / A very great wine for the challenging 20201 vintage with fantastic concentration and a wet-stone minerality that almost masks the substantial fine tannins. Enormous power and drive at the focused finish in which volcanic warmth and racy freshness are beautifully integrated. 96

Nicole et Romain Chanrion  Côte de Brouilly Godesfroy  2021 – 13.5% / This is quite mature, but also harmonious in the 2021 context. Restrained strawberry and sour cherry fruit. Crisp, but rather well balanced finish. 90

2020 REDS

Nicole et Romain Chanrion  Côte de Brouilly  2020 – 15.5% / This is undeniably rich with a touch of overripe fig and some warmth from alcohol, but it copes with all this alcohol surprisingly well. I’m not sure how much of this I could drink, but it is very well made and the finish is really harmonious. 90

Domaine Pierre-André Dumas  Côte de Brouilly  Origine  2020 – 12% / Sleek and crisp with barely ripe strawberry fruit this is too light and simple for a Beaujolais cru. Technically correct, but boring. 88

2019 REDS

Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes (Nicole et Romain Chanrion)  Côte-de-Brouilly  2019 - ??% / This beautiful example of the excellent 2019 vintage combines elegant and velvety tannins with an entire spectrum of red and black fruit aromas with notes of old balsamic vinegar and bitter chocolate to create a compelling whole! 94