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New release. In his seminal book Adventures on the Wine Route, Kermit Lynch bemoaned the trend for chaptalized, high-octane Beaujolais, yearning instead for the wines of yesteryear, with their depth, natural alcohol and acidity. Chermette’s emblematic (Vissoux) Cuvée Traditionnelle Vieilles Vignes (as it was called then) was first bottled in 1986 at the behest of Jean Brouilly, then Michelin-starred chef of Tarare. It instantly caused a sensation, launching the fame of the Chermette wines and igniting heated debate within the region. Uncapitalized and unfiltered (inadvertently or not), this wild-ferment, low sulphur, old-vine cuvée sailed over the oceans of bland, homogenised Beaujolais being produced at the time. It also raised the bar considerably for quality, non-cru Beaujolais and remains a benchmark today.

The fruit source is a densely-planted four hectares in Saint-Vérand with vines sited on a pocket of dark granite—a soil that partly accounts for the wine’s Cru-level depth and minerality. The vine age also helps, ranging from 35 to 85 years. These vines typically produce a considerably deeper, plumper, silkier wine than the entry-level Griottes. The 2020 is a killer version of Origine: a marriage of pure, silky raspberry and floral fruit with filigreed tannins and fine acidity. A beauty.

“The 2020 Beaujolais Origine Vieilles Vignes wafts from the glass with notes of cherries, sweet berries and plums framed by a pretty top note of peonies. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and fleshy, with succulent acids and a long, perfumed finish, it’s a terrific value. “ 91 points, William Kelley, The Wine Advocate