Depending on who you ask, Yann Bertrand is either a rising star in Beaujolais or already one of the greats. He learned under Yvon Metras and Jean Foillard (perhaps the two most celebrated Bojo winemakers ever), among others, and in 1992 started making his own wine. Bertrand practices biodynamic viticulture and his estate is certified organic, and his wines are considered similar in style and quality (also priced similarly) as the “Gang of Four.”
This cuvee ‘Alice 6/10’ was named after Yann’s wife and to note 6 consecutive years of hailstorms and 10 years of winemaking. It’s a selection of young and old (>80 years) Gamay vines and a blend of 60% semi-carbonic and 40% direct press juice.
The 2022 vintage is considered a great one for Beaujolais, part of a line of good-to-great ones since 2015 (2021 and 2024 being unfortunate exceptions). This bottle comes in at 12.5% ABV.
**Tasting notes:** Ripe nose with juicy strawberry, red cherry, cinnamon spice, hints of violet and licorice, and some earthy funk. Intensely fruity palate with some herbal notes, more tannin structure than I expect out of Fleurie (medium- to medium in the grand scheme of things), and balanced nicely by medium+ acidity. Overall a really nice, albeit bigger/riper, example of low-intervention Cru Beaujolais.
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Depending on who you ask, Yann Bertrand is either a rising star in Beaujolais or already one of the greats. He learned under Yvon Metras and Jean Foillard (perhaps the two most celebrated Bojo winemakers ever), among others, and in 1992 started making his own wine. Bertrand practices biodynamic viticulture and his estate is certified organic, and his wines are considered similar in style and quality (also priced similarly) as the “Gang of Four.”
This cuvee ‘Alice 6/10’ was named after Yann’s wife and to note 6 consecutive years of hailstorms and 10 years of winemaking. It’s a selection of young and old (>80 years) Gamay vines and a blend of 60% semi-carbonic and 40% direct press juice.
The 2022 vintage is considered a great one for Beaujolais, part of a line of good-to-great ones since 2015 (2021 and 2024 being unfortunate exceptions). This bottle comes in at 12.5% ABV.
**Tasting notes:** Ripe nose with juicy strawberry, red cherry, cinnamon spice, hints of violet and licorice, and some earthy funk. Intensely fruity palate with some herbal notes, more tannin structure than I expect out of Fleurie (medium- to medium in the grand scheme of things), and balanced nicely by medium+ acidity. Overall a really nice, albeit bigger/riper, example of low-intervention Cru Beaujolais.