Description
Domaine de Colette is located in the small village of Lantignié, in Régnié—one of the 10 Crus of Beaujolais, less than 1 kilometer from the border of Morgon. Régnié is known for producing elegantly toned wines, combining the grace and perfume of nearby Brouilly with the complexity and fruited flesh of Morgon. The Domaine is owned and run by the humble Jacky Gauthier and his wife Evelyne, whose family has been making wine for several generations. It was his father René who officially created Domaine de Colette in 1953. Gauthier began studying enology in the late 1970s at the tender age of 17, to help his parents with their 8 hectares of vineyards. Meanwhile, in 1980 he accepted an offer from an uncle to help him work his vineyard and in 1984 he was able to purchase it and began making wine from both family vineyards. When his father passed away a decade later, Gauthier created one domaine encompassing all the family vineyards. Since then, they have expanded their total holdings to 14 hectares of vines; and now produce Beaujolais-Villages as well as the crus of Régnié, Morgon, Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent. Presently, Gauthier’s son Alexandre is stepping up as the next generation to take on the family business and is currently studying viticulture and enology.
100% Gamay Noir, from vines that are, on average, 70-years-old. The grapes were harvested manually and underwent carbonic maceration before being pressed. The wine was then aged in cement vats before bottling. Made in a delightfully forward style, the nose has a charming mix of spicy wild berries and cherry fruit. The palate is bright and juicy and generous but not lacking in structure; a convergence of ripe cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry flavors, neatly balanced by velvet tannins and a granitic finish.
