Foillard's Fleurie is exceedingly lithe, super-fine in its texture, a feminine delicacy appropriate for this Cru which is often referred to as the Queen of Beaujolais. In 2023, Fleurie exemplifies this. It is sourced from sites of impressive pedigree: the climats of Grille Midi, La Madone and Champagne. The Fleurie is sourced from a mere 2 hectares making this a much more elusive bottling than his legendary Morgon Côte du Py.The wine is the Platonic ideal of Fleurie with its silken plum fruits and charming elegance and of course, Jean Foillard's magic touch!

Thankfully Jean Foillard doesn’t live in Burgundy. I say that because if he transported his vineyard holdings, metier and extraordinary talent to the Côte de Nuits then there is no chance that you would be reading about him in these pages. His wine would be as exclusive and expensive as Domaine Leroy or Georges Roumier.Jean Foillard is one of the great winemakers in France and, in his hands, wine is no ordinary thing.

Morgon from Foillard shows wonderfully fresh, pure aromas of cherries and blackberries combined with a haunting, otherworldly complexity that is distinctly Foillard. The word diaphanous is perfect to describe the aromas of his wines; you can almost smell through them. In the mouth, again there’s a wonderful transparency. Crunchy, fresh fruit is complemented by a satiny, silky structure and some delicate spice. A must try wine for wine lovers who have not yet discovered this treasure of ‘true’ Beaujolais.

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