FLEURIE:Les Fleurs du Charme et les Fleurs du Mal

Beaujolais Appellation: 3/12

By Stuart Pigott – last revision 06.04.26

Vineyard Area: 758 hectares (2024)

Percentage of total production: 6% (2024)

Appellation established: 1936

PART ONE:  What's in a Name?

FLEURieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

It rolls off the tongue so easily, leaving no doubt that the flowers in question are not those of poet Charles Beaudelaire’s Fleurs du Mal, or flowers of evil. NO! These are NICE FLOWERS! I’ve no doubt that the global success of Fleurie has a lot to do with the attractiveness of its name. I mean, who doesn’t like the idea of either being presented with a big bouquet of flowers, or presenting such a bouquet to their Significant Other? 

But there’s more to it than just an attractive name. The wines of this Beaujolais Cru often smell and tastes as pretty as a bouquet of flowers. It’s the way this name that suggests charm with aromas and flavours frequently leads to a smell and taste experience that fulfils these expectations! The demand thus generated gave Fleurie the highest average vineyard price of all the Beaujolais until 2010, and even now it’s in second place, just behind Moulin-à-Vent.

This success is a double-edged sword, because the dominant style of the wines suggested to many regular wine consumers that Fleurie’s floral lightness, and the brightness of its fruit aromas is how all Beaujolais Crus wines smell and taste. It’s another example of Image Bleeding from a narrow group of products to a much broader category. Let me be frank, when I started out tasting Beaujolais in 2019 I imagined that Morgon was Fleurs du Mal and the rest of the Cru were more or less like Fleurie, i.e. charmingly floral. It took me a moment to realize my mistake.

That moment came in late January 2019 at Château des Bachelards in Fleurie when the then owner and winemaker Alexandre de Vazeilles poured a handful of her wines from the 2016 and 2017 vintages for me. The included Fleuries were emphatically dry, compact and well-structured: light years removed from the cliché for the appellation. Then, she released her stunning 2018 vintage wines which had terrific concentration, serious tannins, plus an array of black fruit, dark spice and liquorice aromas. BOOM!

Alexandre learned winemaking at Château Latour in Bordeaux – yes, the Médoc 1er Grand Cru Classé – and applied these techniques and what she learned in Burgundy to Fleurie from 2014. “The only differences is I use much less new oak!” she told me with complete self-confidence. I loved the results and her determination to show that Fleurie could make serious wines. Alexandre's 2019 and 2020 vintage wines confirmed all this, then she sold the winery to the wine and gastronomic entrepreneur Matthieu Gufflet in 2022. I believe she’s now very happy close to Bordeaux.

All the pieces of the Fleurie jigsaw were thrown into the air before I’d even figured out what the finished jigsaw should look like, and since then I’ve been trying to piece it back together. I now feel confident I’m getting close, but all of this can only be provisional, because wine is a moving target and a good journalist is also always on the move. But let’s give it a try…

PART TWO: The Truth About Fleurie (and Beaujolais) Terroir and Winemaking

As Natasha Hughes MW points out in her new book The Wines of Beaujolais, one of the most persistent misconceptions is that all the Beaujolais Cru have pink granite soil. However, this is true of Fleurie, and the majority of Fleurie’s vineyards are on shallow and stony granite soils. I already mentioned that this pushes wines from the Gamay grape in a floral, intensely fruity direction, regardless of exactly how the wine is made. The wines from the steep slopes of Fleurie’s most famous lieu-dit, or vineyard site, La Madone (pictured at the top) are prototypical examples of this.

After decades dissecting terroir (French for the taste of the place), it’s clear to me that winemaking always plays a certain role. I’m sure that many producers in Fleurie – consciously or unconsciously – chose vinification techniques that accentuate the direction their wines want go in so as to fit in with consumer expectations. And why not? It’s not morally reprehensible, much less a crime!  

So how come some Fleuries and wines from other Beaujolais Cru, are superficially fruity and charming to the point of being vapid? Recently I was tasting and talking with Anne-Victoire Jocteur Monrozier of Château les Moriers, another woman dedicated to making serious Fleurie. But also a complex personality whose other identity is Miss Vicky, under which name she sells the best canned red wine I ever tasted.  When I asked her about vinification techniques she vehemently rejected a method called thermo-vinification, and it sounded like it was painful for her to even talk about it. “It dramatically reduces the terroir character,” she concluded decisively. OUCH!

My apologies, but if you want to understand thermo-vinification you’ll have to read two slightly technical paragraphs, of which this is the first. The truth is that by focusing on the best producers in the region I lost sight of the ball lower down the quality scale and missed this issue! Thermo-vinification involves heating the must or mash of crushed grapes to around 60°C at the beginning of fermentation, then quickly cooling the must/mash back down afterwards. That's quite radical, but entirely legal. It has two advantages, firstly, speeding the extraction of colour from the skins (there’s no colour in the juice!) and that makes life easier in the winery.

Secondly, it knocks out an enzyme called Laccase that the Botrytis fungus (aka noble rot / ignoble rot) releases. Laccase oxidizes all manner of phenolic compounds, including the colour in red grape skins (technical name: anthocyanins). In a rainy harvest Botrytis can spread fast and thermo-vinification is an easier solution than selectively harvesting the grapes, but there's no question that’s a bandage applied to a wound. The ideal solution is that good viticulture reduces the spread of Botrytis and the grapes are selectively harvested. That’s how the good and great wines of the 2021 and 2024 vintages in Beaujolais were made.

The Fleuries of Château les Moriers are not only light years removed from thermo-vinified wines, but with their serious tannin structure and savoury-spicy-earthy depth they’re the opposite of the Fleurie cliché. It took me a while to fully understand them, because I needed to follow how they mature, and for that you need a few years. When they reach their peak, like the  2019s now, they’re very Les Fleurs du Mal and very sophisticated. Although the Les Moriers site is steep it has much deeper and significantly more water-retentive soil than the typically shallow and stony Fleurie soils, and that's where the power comes from.

The last time I was at the Château I discovered something else surprising: the family only began making wine themselves about 20 years ago. So, this isn’t a throwback to ancient traditions as the rather traditional style label might suggest, rather a further example of innovation in the region.

Another striking thing I recently realized is how many of the best Fleurie’s are made by wineries based outside the appellation's borders, most notably Château de La Chaize in Brouilly and Domaine de Vernus in Régnié. In both instances the winemaking inspiration came from Burgundy, as it did at Château des Bachelards, which continues to make serious Fleurie. This is now a very large and very serious bunch of flowers! Georges Duboeuf is also committed as the two single vineyard Fleurie's tasted show.

That brings us to the conclusion of the story of this Beaujolais Cru, so far. Fleurie was the first appellation in the region to apply for the recognition of a row of vineyard sites as Premier Crus. The final decision which lieu-dit, or vineyard sites to put forward was made in March 2023, but such is the complexity of the bureaucratic process that it will be years before Grilli Midi, La Chapelle des Bois, La Madone, La Roilette, Les Grants, Les Moriers and Poncié will appear on labels in combination with the designation Premier Cru / 1er Cru. 

In spite of this fact, that decision was momentous, because others followed: Brouilly and Moulin-à-Vent quickly, then Côte de Brouilly and Morgon more recently. The consequences of the Beaujolais 1er Cru movement will be with us for decades, perhaps centuries! 

58 wines tasted, five with 96 and five with 95 points.

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PART THREE: The True Flowers of Fleurie

2025 REDS

Domaine de Colette  Fleurie  2025 – 13% / Brimming with violets and black raspberries, this youthful Fleurie is an explosion of fruit, but also has some positive supple tannins that give it smooth contours on the generous and zesty palate. Good length. Tasted at not quite 6 months of age. 92 (SP)

2024 REDS

Victoire d’Affaux  Fleurie  Cuvée Barthélemy  2024 – 13% / Generous almost to the point of being mouthfilling, this has a healthy structure and crisp acidity as well as abundant red berry and cherry fruit. Touches of wet earth and liquorice character at the long, positive finish. 91 (SP)

Anthony Carvet  Fleurie  Lieu-dit “Grand Pré”  2024 – 13% / Very fresh and bright with a crisp acidity, but no rough edges this gives plenty of pleasure right now. The restrained healthy tannins should give this some years of aging potential and certainly give the herbal finish some drive. 90 (SP) 

Cave du Château de Chénas  Fleurie  Coeur de Granit  2024 – 13% / With its ample strawberry and black cherry fruit wrapped around a core of gentle tannins plus a lively acidity this is a harmonious introduction to the appellation. Everything fits together nicely, it just lacks a bit of excitement. 90 (SP)

Château de La Chaize  Fleurie Les Fées  2024 – 12.5% / A very attractive Fleurie with the kind of depth and elegance I expect from single-vineyard wines. Wonderful violet and summer flower aromas. Beautiful interplay of fruit, elegant acidity and delicate minerality. 93 (SP)

Château de La Chaize  Fleurie Lieu-dit “La Chapelle des Bois”  2024 – 13% / This really tastes like a future 1er Cru! A rich and deep wine for the appellation, but with the silkiness and violet aroma I expect here. In fact, you feel like you’re enveloped by violets and black raspberries!  Extremely long and silky finish that makes you feel glad to be alive. 95 (SP)    

Château Grand Grange  Fleurie Clos La Madone  Monopol  2024 – 13%

Right on the edge of ripe red fruit to black fruit aromas, also plenty of violets! Crisp and medium-bodied with a dry and stony elegance. With a bit more power at the finish this would be very exciting. 91 (SP)

Pierre-Marie Chermette  Fleurie Les Garants  2024 – 13% / The combination of smoky and violet aromas with a very solid tannin structure of this youthful wines a serious statement. And the tannic power builds at the fresh yet imposing finish. Made for long aging and chateaubriand steaks! 93 (SP) 

Pierre-Marie Chermette  Fleurie Poncié  2024 – 13% / It’s hard to resist the Amarena cherry aroma and the suaveness of this oh so velvety wine. Excellent tannin structure, but it’s always just below the waterline of direct perception, deftly supporting the beautiful fruit. Very long silky finish in spite of the bright acidity. 94 (SP)

Cyril Copéret  Fleurie “La Madone”  2024 – 13% / This explodes with ripe strawberry aromas and flavours plus notes of summer flowers. There’s nothing to say against that, however, this charmeur has modest depth for one of the best and most famous vineyard sites in the appellation. Fresh, balanced finish. 90 (SP)

Domaine Anita  Fleurie Poncié  2024 – 13.5% / An expansive wine with remarkable ripeness and concentration for the vintage, this makes a bold entry, but moves gracefully over your palate. With aeration floral notes slowly unfurl. Very long finale in which salty minerality and fine-grained tannins are deftly interwoven. 95 (SP)

Domaine Anita  Fleurie Les Moriers  2024 – 13.5% / The haunting nose of wild blackberry, pomegranate and blood orange interwoven with threads of wet earth and spice tells you this is no normal Fleurie. Mouthfilling and powerful with a crisp slightly citrusy acidity and ample fine tannins. The texture of this is unique in the 2024 context. From vines just 800 meters from the winery, and vinified exclusively in concrete tanks. 96 (SP)

Domaine Bertrand  Felurie Les Déduits  2024 – 12% / This sleek and crisp wine has very bright redcurrant and just ripe strawberry aromas, but has modest depth and is one-sidedly tart at the finish. 88 (SP)

Domaine des Chaffangeons  Fleurie Vieilles Vignes  2024 – ??% / Quite a rich wine for the cool 2024 vintage this is well-rounded and fleshy with plenty of substance. Finishes a bit simple after the bold beginning. 89 (SP)

Domaine Lafarge Vial  Fleurie  2024 – 12.5% / Still very youthful (with a touch of reduction) this really needs some aeration to open up, but the aromas of violets, ripe strawberry and cherry are then beautiful. Fine-grained tannins and mineral acidity drive the long, sleek finish. Excellent aging potential! 92 (SP)

Domaine Lafarge Vial  Felurie  La Joie du Palais  2024 – 12.5% / An effusive floral beauty is married to a firm, linear structure in this excellent, youthful Fleurie. Long, positively austere finish that’s still tightly wound. 93 (SP)

Domaine Lafarge Vial  Fleurie  Clos Vernay  2024 – 12.5% / The deep nose of violets is so seductive, but the dense and silky palate is too! And the animating freshness that keeps this so nimble on its feet completes the captivating picture. Excellent concentration at the refined finish! 94 (SP)

Domaine Lathuilère Gravallon  Fleurie La Madone  2024 – 12.5% / This solidly structured wine has velvety tannins and a stony power that makes it feel bigger than it really is. Dark and meaty core, plus a bold and long, well balanced finish. Good aging potential. 92 (SP) 

Domaine des Marrans  Fleurie Les Marrans  2024 – 12% / The floral aromas of Fleurie can be very forthright, but here they’re delicate. This also features a very solid interplay of fruit and restrained tannins on the lively, medium-bodied palate. Nothing dramatic, but excellent for 12% alcohol! 91 (SP)

Domaine des Fonds (André et Florent Berrod)  Fleurie  2024 – 12%

This has quite some tannic structure, but is linear and tightly-wound. Very crisp acidity, but it has the depth to carry this. Should show better after another year or two in the bottle. 90 (SP)

Domaine de la Grand Cour  Fleurie  2024 – 12.5% / Cool, silky and undemonstrative, this is a very subtle expression of the appellation. Very fine tannins and wet-stone acidity shape the sleek, precisely-nuanced palate. 93 (SP)

Domaine de la Grand Cour  Fleurie  Cuvée “Tous Ensemble”  2024 – 12.5% / Try to ignore the little spitz of natural CO2 on the palate (the result of minimalistic winemaking), because this dissipates quickly. Then, all the silky elegance of this beautiful Fleurie emerges and it glides over your palate. Long filigree finish. 94 (SP)  

Domaine des Marrans  Fleurie Lieu-dit “Ch*mpagne” 2024 – 12% / Here’s a very authentic expression of the pink granite terroir that dominates this appellation. Subtle floral, wild herb and sour cherry aromas, then very focused and stony on the sleek, yet polished palate. And yes, this single-vineyard is called Champagne on the land registry map. 93

Domaine des Marrans  Fleurie Clos du Pavillion 2024 – 12.5% / Excellent concentration, but no hint of drama make this deeply structured and seriously mineral wine a real beauty. Seriously elegant on the precisely contoured palate, this teases you with its interplay of wet-stone coolness, fine-grained tannins and the restrained warmth of ripe cherries. 94 (SP)

Domaine des Nugues  Fleurie  2024 – 13% / Effusive bouquet of black raspberry. Good substance and a crisp acidity. Stony acidity at the long, crisp and moderately dry finish. 91 (SP)

Domaine de Vernus  Fleurie  2024 – 13.5% / This isn’t a single-vineyard wine, but it’s much more like one than a regular Fleurie. That starts with the fresh, predominantly black fruit aromas. Then, comes the juicy and beautifully balanced palate with a wealth of fine tannins. Just a hint of bitter chocolate at the very long finish. 94 (SP) 

Domaine de Vernus  Fleurie La Dime  2024 – 14% / Close your eyes and let go! This is one of the most compelling wines I ever experienced from this appellation. Les fleurs du mal, but also wet earth and rooty aromas that are delicate, rather than obvious. Very long, complete finish. From a small site at the foot of La Madone with deep weathered granite soil. Matured exclusively in Burgundian oak barrels. 96 (SP)

Domaine Gilles Paris  Fleurie Grand Pré  2024 – 13% / This has a boldness, velvety tannins and savoury character on the front, but the balsamic vinegar note is a bit much and the weak finish let it down. 88 (SP)

Sylvain Paturaux  Fleurie  2024 – 13.5% / Very lively and juicy with bright violet and red berry aromas. Plenty of crunchy freshness, but bit vegetal and grainy at the finish.  A cuvée of wines from high-altitude parcels with granitic soil that was mature in concrete tanks. 88 (SP)

Sylvain Paturaux  Fleurie La Madone  2024 – 13.5% / The violet invitation asks to step into this light and rather elegant expression of the famous La Madone site in Fleurie. The bright fruit is underline by healthy tannins that carry the long, clean finish. Just a hint of artichoke. 90 (SP)

D. Piron  Fleurie  2024 – 12.5% / A very perfumed and silky expression of this appellation with vibrant and subtle red berry and summer flower aromas. And as it aerates the fruit expand. I love the interplay of the fine tannins and intense stony minerality.  93 (SP)

Domaine des Roches du Py  Fleurie La Madone  2024 – 13% / This has good black cherry fruit, but the liquorice note is also pronounced. Slightly drying tannins, but there’s so much fruit this still holds together. A bit rustic at the finish. 89 (SP)  

Domaine Philippe Viet  Fleurie Poncié  2024 – 12% / Cool and on the light side, this is nonetheless well-structured with positive stony minerality counterpointing the subtle red berry and candied lemon flavours. Impressive length for just 12% alcohol. 91 (SP)

Georges Dubeouf  Fleurie  Bio  2024 – 12.5% / Considering how light this organic Fleurie feels it has a deep well of black cherry, blackberry and violet aromas. The wine’s sleekness is exactly what I expect from this appellation and the moderately dry finish is long and quite zesty. 92 (SP)

Georges Duboeuf  Fleurie La Madone  2024 – 13% / The aromatic spectrum of this expressive, youthful Fleurie ranges from delicate floral notes to summer vegetables! They’re backed up by a healthy tannin structure and stony minerality that give this excellent tension at the long, dry finish. 93 (SP)

Georges Duboeuf  Fleurie Les Moriers  2024 – 13% / I love the summer flower and sour cherry aromas of this excellent Fleurie as much as the velvety tannins. Generous and warm in the context of the cool 20204 vintage with impressive depth at the long, savoury and mineral finish. 94 (SP)   

Mee Godard  Fleurie  2024 – 12.5% / This very youthful Fleurie needs a moment for the aromas to open up, but the bright aromas of violets and Amarena cherry that then emerge are delightful. As the wine glides over your palate the fine-grained tannins make themselves ever more present. Emphatically dry finish. From the Grand Pré site. 93 (SP)

Mee Godard  Fleurie La Madone  Métamorphoses  2024 – 12.5% / Striking nose of star anise, red roses and pomegranate! Very silky with really fine tannins that deftly underline the fruit. And although the flavours are delicate this has impressive tannic power at the very long finish. 94 (SP)  

Jean-Marc Lafont  Fleurie  Granits Roses  2024 – 13% / The abundant floral aromas – violets, but also lilies and something more exotic – are prototypical for this appellation. And this has a wealth of ripe black cherry fruit that’s underlined by soft tannins and enough freshness to make it delightful without any hint of tartness. 92 (SP)

Yohan Lardy  Fleurie Le Vivier  2024 – 13% / Very racy and vivid with bladerunner freshness combine with excellent juiciness. Bursting with youthful strawberry and sour cherry fruit. Extremely zesty finish. 93 (SP)

Mommessin  Fleurie  Grandes Mises  2024 – 13% / A cool and sleek expression of this appellation with quite a dry tannic core, but this has good stony minerality and a certain elegance at the long, crisp finish. 90 (SP)

2023 REDS

Château des Bachelards  Fleurie  2023 – 13.5% / Listen up, because the queen of raspberries is talking to you! Very suave, rich texture and deep yet delicate tannins. Super-long and very elegant finish with an invigorating freshness that makes you feel glad to be alive! 95 (SP) 

Château des Bachelards  Fleurie Clos des Bachelards Monopole  2023 – 14% 7 This starts light and gentle, but gains a great deal of momentum and weight as it flows across your palate. Still a bit closed, but great potential. Enormous depth and structure at the finish. 96 (SP)

Château Bellevue  Fleurie Montgenas  2023 – 13.5% / What a beautiful, floral nose! Vibrant and racy with a silkiness and mineral freshness that are hard to resist. Excellent concentration and length plus that wonderful thing: fascination! 93 (SP)

Château Grand’ Grange  Fleurie Clos La Madone  Monopol  2023 – 14.5% / Dense blackcurrant fruit and a wealth of supple tannins make for a bold and seductive wine. The alcohol is remarkably well integrated, the restrained sweetness, tannic dryness and mineral freshness exactly balanced. 93 (SP) 

Château des Moriers  Fleurie  Ô Joie  2023 – 13% / The gentle velvety tannins anchor this surprisingly serious wine for a “fun” brand. Not so complex, but more than enough red fruit and a touch of liquorice character. Moderately dry finish. 90 (SP)

Château des Moriers  Fleurie Les Moriers  Vieilles Vignes  2023 – 13% / This excellent expression of the appellation is still very young. The red fruit character ranges from cherry to blood orange, also good savoury complexity. The generous fine-grained tannins need some time to fully-integrate, but they are intertwined with a serious minerality. Needs some time. 94 (SP)

Arnaud Combier  Fleurie  2023 – 13% / The blood orange and cranberry character gives this slightly lean and tart Fleurie some up-front appeal. However, the acidity is quite pronounced. 88 (SP)

Domaine de La Presle  Fleurie  Racines  2023 – 14% / Rich and fleshy with stacks of full-ripe raspberry fruit, but well-balanced, this compact wine glides over the front- and mid-palates. Then the power comes through and you feel a hint of alcoholic warmth at the finish. 91 (SP)

Laura Lardy  Fleurie  “Les Côtes”  2023 – 13% Very clean, crisp and stony for a 2023, this is still really youthful. Very focused on the sleek, but concentrated palate. Impressive length. Try to be patient with this excellent wine. 93 (SP) 

2022 REDS

Cave du Château de Chénas  Fleurie La Chapelle des Bois Exception  2022 – 14% / This is a big wine, but it doesn’t taste that alcoholic. The problem is that it doesn’t have much personality or character. The bark and dried cherry aromas are OK and the 14% alcohol is well integrated until you get to the slightly warm finish. 89 (SP)

Château Grange Cochard  Fleurie “Bel Air”  2022 – 13.5% / Ripe and powerful, but polished this has rich Amarena cherry and mulberry fruit, but it remains just the right side of the line that separates ripe from jammy. Long intense finish with underlying alcoholic warmth. 90 (SP)

Château des Moriers  Fleurie Les Moriers  Vieilles Vignes  2022 – 12.5% / This has the density and generous tannins of the vintage, but is certainly more youthful and les weighty than most. Delicate Amerana cherry and violet aromas are wrapped around the velvety core. Long, firm finish with lots of stony minerality. 94 (SP)

2020 REDS

Château de La Chaize  Fleurie Clos de la Chapelle des Bois  Monopole  2020 – 13.5% / This dense, yet refined expression of the 2020 vintage is only just really opening up. Lovely fresh plum and summer flower aromas. In spite of the richness and power this has a silkiness that’s very surprising. Extremely long, refined finish. 95 (SP) 

Château des Moriers  Fleurie  Ô Joie  2020 – 13% / A five year old Beaujolais from a 250 ml can? Yes, and it’s got an impressive depth of maturing red berry fruit and well-rounded medium body. The gentle tannins neatly underline all this. Long velvety finish. 91 (SP)

Château des Moriers  Fleurie Les Moriers  Vieilles Vignes  2020 – 12.5% / This maturing beauty really shows what Fleurie can do! At once deep and fresh, serious and joyful this has terrific balance right through the long, elegant finish. There’s plenty of tannin in here, but it’s now like silk! 95 (SP)

Château des Moriers  Fleurie Les Moriers  La Brirette  2020 – 12.5% / This is like stepping into a time machine and going back to the great wines of this region from the 1960s. Mysterious mellowness makes you wonder if the butler did it in the library. I love the very subtle black raspberry and loganberry aromas as much as the way this glides over your palate in spite of deep tannin structure. Great savoury and balsamic complexity at the finish.  From more than 100 year old vines in the heart of this great vineyard site. 96 (SP)

Domaine des Nugues  Fleurie  Les Côtes  2020 – 14.5% / This has the ripeness I expect from the vintage, but it is anything other than muscular, in fact it is rather restrained. In spite of that, pronounced balsamic note in the nose. The tannins have soften nicely on the front palate, but are still substantial at the slightly warm finish.  From 70 year old vines, this was bottled in June 2023 and has just been released. 92  (SP)

2019 REDS

Château des Moriers  Fleurie Les Moriers  La Brirette  2019 – 12.5% / A mineral revelation, this is super-elegant and has just entered its mature phase, which amplifies its great beauty. Dances its way gracefully over your palate á point on red ballet shoes. Extremely long, refined finish. 96 (SP)  

2016 REDS

Château des Moriers  Fleurie Les Moriers  La Brirette  2016 – 12.5% / The aromas of laurel and wild thyme add an extra dimension of this quite sleek, well-structured wine. The core of fine-grained tannins is now beautifully integrated. Long, cool finish. 93 (SP)