Nicole Chanrion Côte de Brouilly 2022

An open-knit red, with a light- to medium-bodied, velvety structure encasing aromatic cherry, raspberry and blueberry flavors interwoven with licorice and floral details, expanding through a soft finish of well-integrated tannins.

If this wine was a stock, it would outperform the market every year -- a real blue chip. From her hillside vineyard on the slopes of Mont Brouilly, Nicole Chanrion crafts delicious Beaujolais the traditional way, by hand-harvesting, fermenting with whole clusters and patiently aging in large oak foudres. In investing, they say that past performance is not an indicator of future success, but it’s hard to argue with a track record that spans six generations.

Ever since taking over the family domaine in 1988, Nicole Chanrion works all 6.5 hectares by herself, from pruning the vineyards and driving the tractors to winemaking and bottling, all without bravado or fanfare. The Côte-de-Brouilly appellation sits on the hillsides of Mont Brouilly, a prehistoric volcano that left blue schist stones and volcanic rock along its slopes. These stones yield structured wines with pronounced minerality and great aging potential.