Jean Foillard - Morgon Athanor 2015

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

The Morgon cru is fortunate to boast so many first-rate estates. Jean and Agnès Foillard offer a particularly fruity, fresh expression. The fleurie and cuvée 3.14 are always marketed a little later than the Morgons. While the work in both vineyard and cellar is admirable in its approach, one can't help but notice the occasional animal notes that some cuvées suffer from, sometimes losing all the capital of their origin. It's an unfortunate observation, because the structure of the vintages produced is clearly of the highest quality.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Named after an alchemical oven, the unique 2015 Morgon Athanor has the same origins as the estate's Cuvée 3.14, but was so atypically ripe - fully reaching 15.4% alcohol - that the Foillard family thought it should bear a different name. Offering a deep bouquet of cherries, wild plums, dark chocolate and fruit compote, it's full-bodied, rich and powerful, with a full, muscular frame of powdered tannin, a generous core of fruit and a long finish. While it's certainly not light, the tasting is perfect despite its extreme style. It will be interesting to see how it evolves.

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Jean Foillard is one of the most recognizable names on the Beaujolais landscape. A series of misadventures had led to his removal from the Guide Vert: it was only natural that he should be reinstated. Known for his "natural" style, Jean began working on the family estate in 1981. With a firm hand, he has maintained a free-spirited style, but without deviation, resulting in very consistent, very deep wines. Organic viticulture, sulfur-free vinification, whole harvest and barrel ageing are not the only keys to success, of course. For to produce these "free" but precise wines, meticulous microscopic monitoring is one of the fundamental parameters. Jean Foillard is slowly passing the baton to his son, Alex. Having traveled the world and taken over a few hectares of vines in his own name, he has taken over the reins step by step, with the determination to continue his father's work, while infusing his own sensibility. The latest vintages we've tasted show a noticeable improvement, which leads us to consider a second star.