Jean Foillard makes some our favorite wines anywhere.

When news arrived that his son, Alex, had started making wine in very different terroirs in Beaujolais, we were really curious.

In his debut vintage, the 25 year old Alex Foillard turned out a gorgeous duo of wines.

Both the Brouilly and the Côte de Brouilly have an amazing precision, clarity and of course, drinkability.

After graduating from wine school in Beaune, Alex returned to his family's domaine in 2015 and began searching for his patch of vines. At 24 years old, he ended up with a hectare of Côte de Brouilly and half a hectare of Brouilly.

Alex Foillard follows similar methods as his father and other members of the legendary "gang of four" (carbonic maceration, minimal sulphur and only at bottling, etc.). Even at this early point, he seems masterful at the process. The wines have a beautiful silky texture and purity of fruit.

The 2016 vintage was a tricky one in many parts of Beaujolais due to hail. Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly were spared most of the troublesome weather and by many accounts, these were the most successful Crus in 2016.

Both of Alex Foillard's wines possess soaring aromatics and tense, driving spines. The Brouilly has a slightly darker and more overtly smoky mineral profile. There's a lovely sense of levity to the wine. The Côte de Brouilly has much brighter fruits along with being denser and more structured.

It's hard not to be impressed by such a strong debut vintage. These are extraordinarily detailed, delightfully textured and aromatically complex wines. As you could have guessed by Alex Foillard's small holdings, quantities are limited. These are the only bottles available in the country.

To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone

Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits