2023 Lafarge Vial - Fleurie (750ml)

Lafarge-Vial began in 2014, when Frédéric Lafarge, of the storied Domaine Michel Lafarge in Volnay, left Burgundy alongside his wife, Chantal Vial, to start fresh in Beaujolais. Frédéric brought his family's Burgundian sensibility for terroir and minimal intervention with him, applying the same patient, hands-off philosophy to the granite hillsides of Fleurie that has long defined his family's wines in the Côte de Beaune. The small domaine, now farming around four hectares between Fleurie and Beaujolais-Villages, is certified organic and biodynamic.

This bottling blends fruit from two lieux-dits, Bel Air and Sarcillon, both south and southeast-facing sites on granite soils. About fifteen percent of the grapes are included as whole clusters, and fermentation proceeds with ambient yeasts in concrete tank for just over a week, favoring gentle extraction over heavy structure. The wine then ages for a full year in older Burgundy barrels before bottling without fining or filtration, a process that lends the finished wine a distinctly Burgundian polish.

The 2023 shows a striking floral character dominated by white, powdery blossoms, with concentrated flavors of raspberry and cherry underpinned by a fine lining of powdery tannins. The wine balances softness and structure in equal measure. Pair it with roast duck, herb-roasted chicken, or a mild sheep's milk cheese.