2019 Domaine Saint-Cyr Chénas 'Les Journets’, Beaujolais, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Chénas has historically been an overlooked appellation, but Raphael Saint Cyr intends to help change that. Les Journets is a prolongation of the Blémonts parcel in Chénas that Raphael has been farming for over a decade. In 2017, he decided to vinify this block separately, experimenting with a full carbonic fermentation to make a juicy, "grapier" Beaujolais – the style of wine that he most enjoys drinking with his winemaker friends. The results were so successful that Raphael now vinifies all of his red wines using cold carbonic - the homegrown, Beaujolais method of natural winemaking.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Raphael Saint-Cyr is the fourth generation vigneron at the Domaine Saint-Cyr, which was created by his great-grandfather Pierre Saint-Cyr. The estate is located in Anse, found at the southern edge of the Beaujolais. When Raphael took over the winemaking in 2008, he let go of a large portion of Beaujolais vines around the winery and acquired vines further north in the crus of Morgon, Regnié, Chénas, and Moulin-à-Vent. Having seen his grandfather and uncle get sick from the chemicals used to treat their vines, Raphael was immediately convinced to convert the entire 23 hectare domaine to certified organic viticulture, making Domaine Saint Cyr one of the largest organic domaines in the Beaujolais.