Joseph Drouhin Brouilly

Founded in 1880 and now stewarded by the fourth-generation Drouhin family, Maison Joseph Drouhin is one of Burgundy's rare négociant-domaines to hold full ECOCERT organic and biodynamic certification across its entire 100-hectare estate — a conversion completed under Philippe Drouhin from 1990, with certification awarded for the 2009 vintage. That same low-intervention philosophy extends to its Beaujolais sourcing. Brouilly, the largest of the ten Beaujolais crus, sits on the slopes of Mont Brouilly, where decomposed granite and blue volcanic schist soils deliver the cru's characteristic mineral lift and fine-grained texture to Gamay. Fermentation proceeds with indigenous yeasts in small open vats, consistent with Drouhin's house-wide native-yeast commitment, with maceration calibrated for freshness over extraction. Élevage follows Drouhin's minimal-intervention philosophy, preserving the site's granite-driven aromatic transparency rather than layering oak. What sets this cuvée apart within the Drouhin portfolio is its status as one of the house's rare departures from its strict Pinot Noir–Chardonnay focus — Gamay is the singular exception the house permits. The 2018 vintage delivered excellent phenolic maturity across the region; the Brouilly shows ripe, expressive fruit with structural freshness, drinking well now through 2026.