Cote de Brouilly

Château Thivin is one of Beaujolai's unmissable classics, like Foillard in Morgon or Clos de la Roilette in Fleurie. Thivin’s own home is the Côte de Brouilly, a Cru that is often overlooked or confused with its neighbor, Brouilly. While Brouilly makes the lightest and simplest wines of the ten Crus, the Côte de Brouilly makes incredibly distinctive Beaujolais of structure and complexity. The secret to the Cru’s terroir is revealed in its first name, Côte. Côte means slope, and in this case, the slope is a very steep one—48% grade!—on an old volcano. Volcanic soils are not that common in Beaujolais, but that’s what you find here. In particular, you find slightly blue volcanic rocks with minerals like plagioclase, a type of bright white feldspar, and the black, yet reflective mineral biotite of the mica family. The combination of volcanic minerals, their impact on absorbing heat and reflecting light as well as the steep grade yield Gamay grapes, unlike any others in the world. While you might find yourself inspired to forage for mushrooms, you won't have to forage for wines of singular beauty.