An Essential Beaujolais Collection: 17 Iconic Producers, Back Vintages & Large Formats

Today, we are thrilled to release a sprawling collection of Cru Beaujolais. This offer spans 17 legendary producers, ranging from the pioneers who put Morgon on the map to the ultra-rare cult stars of the "new wave"—along with large formats, like a 2018 Métras Magnum and a Guy Breton Jeroboam! Now with several years of bottle age, a handful of these wines are entering their prime drinking window.

Gamay has come a long way since Philip the Bold banished it from the vineyards of the Côte d'Or. Today, Beaujolais has firmly established itself as one of the most thrilling, terroir-driven wine regions in the world. So much so, the region is on the brink of achieving 1er Cru status for a handful of prestigious vineyard sites, beginning with Fleurie.

While we usually try to avoid directly comparing Beaujolais to Burgundy (the terroir is distinct, and Gamay's nervous, kinetic energy is entirely its own), there is one undeniable similarity: serious Cru Beaujolais beautifully rewards cellaring. It may not require the extensive aging of a Grand Cru Burgundy, but it thrives with 5 to 10 years of bottle age, depending on the vintage and producer.

Surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of top-tier Beaujolais is still consumed within its first few years of release. It is delicious young, after all. But when you lay down iconic producers like Lapierre, Foillard, Bouland, or Coudert, something profound happens.

The French actually have a term for it: Il pinote ("it pinots"). The primary, juicy fruit sheds its youthful baby fat, giving way to tertiary flavors and aromas of kirsch, dried roses, blackberry compote, forest floor, black tea, and sandalwood. Structured wines from Morgon and Fleurie transform into complex bottles that can effortlessly go toe-to-toe with many of the great wines of the world, but at a fraction of the cost.

Given the sheer breadth of this collection, we've broken the list down by winery to help you navigate. We have also included an appendix below to highlight the stylistic differences between the winemakers.

Feel free to let us know if you'd like specific recommendations or more information on any of these bottles. Please note, however, that the best way to immediately secure your wine is to use the links. Many of these back-vintages and large formats are limited to just 1 or 2 bottles, so everything is being offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Lapierre, Breton, Thévenet courtesy of Kermit Lynch

THE LEGENDS: "GANG OF FOUR" & FELLOW PIONEERS

In the 1980s, iconic importer Kermit Lynch dubbed Lapierre, Foillard, Breton, and Thevenet the "Gang of Four." They revolutionized Beaujolais by returning to the old ways: old vines, no synthetic chemicals, late harvesting, and minimal sulfur. They were instrumental in shifting the paradigm away from mass-produced Nouveau and back toward high-quality, terroir-transparent wines. Alongside Georges Descombes, these producers remain the benchmarks of the region.

M. et C. Lapierre

Jean Foillard

Guy Breton

Jean-Paul Thevenet

G. Descombes

THE TRADITIONALISTS: STRUCTURE & AGEABILITY

These wines are broad-shouldered and built for the long haul. Alain Coudert's "Clos de la Roilette" (especially the Cuvée Tardive and the oak-aged Griffe du Marquis) and Daniel Bouland's old-vine Morgons are deeply concentrated, possessing a tense, savory grip that generously rewards time in the cellar.

Coudert

Daniel Bouland

THE CULT STARS & NEXT GENERATION

These producers are the current darlings of the sommelier world, and for good reason. Some are the prodigious children of legendary winemakers (like Charly Thevenet and Jules Métras), while others like Julie Balagny and Yann Bertrand have carved out massive cult followings for their ultra-low-intervention, ethereally weightless and incredibly rare expressions of Gamay. Allocations of these wines vanish almost instantly.

Jules Metras

Julie Balagny

Yann Bertrand

Jean-Paul & Charly Thevenet

Anthony Thevenet

THE TERROIR MASTERS & BURGUNDIAN INFLUENCE

Geographically, Beaujolais sits just south of the Mâconnais, and these producers beautifully highlight that undeniable Burgundian connection. Lafarge Vial is the celebrated Beaujolais project of the legendary Volnay producer Domaine Michel Lafarge. Meanwhile, Dutraive, Lapalu, and Julien Guillot are undisputed masters of biodynamics, producing wines characterized by soaring aromatics, finesse and tension.

Anita

Domaine de la Grand Cour (Dutraive)

Jean-Claude Lapalu

Julien Guillot (Vignes du Maynes)

Lafarge Vial