2023 Yann Bertrand, Fleurie Vieilles Vignes

Yann Bertrand’s approach centers on precise stewardship of high-altitude vines in Fleurie, where 60-plus-year-old Gamay is cultivated under organic and biodynamic principles on decomposed granitic soils. The winemaking is intentionally minimal, utilizing whole-cluster, cold carbonic maceration with native yeasts and no added sulfites to maintain the integrity of the vineyard’s inherent mineral tension. The 2023 vintage, characterized by a complex, unpredictable growing season that necessitated vigilant harvest timing, yielded a wine with refined structural clarity and persistent freshness. The resulting profile is defined by fine-grained tannins and a taut, architectural mid-palate, directly reflecting the cooling influences of the granitic terroir and the measured, low-intervention élevage in used barrels.