Jean-Claude Lapalu

Saint-Étienne-la-Varenne, Beaujolais

Jean-Claude Lapalu is one of the current stars of Beaujolais. The domaine is based in St Etienne la Varenne, near the famous Beaujolais landmark of Mont Brouilly. Jean-Claude is the custodian of some magnificent old vines planted on the pink granitic gravel soils found in the southern Beaujolais cru of Brouilly.

Somewhat of a cult figure in France, Jean-Claude has established a global reputation for both the quality and style of his wines as they are at once natural and modern. He is also known for his larger than life personality and wicked laugh.

Some of his vines were old when his grandfather was working them and are thought to now be over 100 years old. Jean-Claude now has 12 hectares of vineyards and all have been converted over to biodynamics, of which he is a big proponent.

The different cuvées are all treated slightly differently in the winery for their particular expressions. Jean-Claude is heavily influenced by the writings of Jules Chauvet, the Godfather of natural winemaking. Needless to say, all winemaking is natural with indigenous ferments, time on fine lees and no sulphur used except for the token amount, if at all, added right before bottling. Since 2010 all wines have been basket pressed on a giant 120-year-old stone-based press. The wines have no other additives, fining or filtration.

Jean-Claude's wines are in the richer spectrum of Beaujolais. More juicy black cherry than red fruits, but with a distinct granitic minerality from the soils/ They certainly display the proximity of the vineyards to the Rhône Valley in their level of ripeness and fruit concentration.

These are wines that are rich but far from clumsy, with purity and freshness and the ability to age for many years at the higher end when carefully cellared.