2020 Domaine Bonnet-Cotton Brouilly "Bonnége", Beaujolais, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Certified Organic. 100% Gamay. Typically, the Bonnet-Cotton domaine only produces one wine from Brouilly—‘100% Cotton,’ which is a blend of two parcels, “Les Mines” and “Bonnège.” In 2020, Pierre and Marine decided to make two separate cuvées, as it’s the last year they’ll be able to harvest grapes from the Bonnege parcel: their family leased this parcel for two generations, but it was recently sold and reclaimed by the new owner. Because these ephemeral cuvées will only exist for this vintage, Pierre and Marine decided to use the ‘100% Cotton’ labels, so the designation will only be on the back label. ‘Bonnège’ as a lieu-dit is around 2ha, with loamy and pink granite soil and sand at the bottom of its slope. Full carbonic maceration of whole clusters in cement tank, then aged in foudre for nine months. Unfined, unfiltered. <10g/l SO2 added before bottling.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Pierre Cotton is just getting started with his domaine, but already the potential is clearly tremendous. The Sanvers family have been farming and producing wine at the same chai in Odenas since 1856. Legend has it that the large chai with its cavernous cellars was built in the 18th century to make the wines for the nearby Chateau de Pierreux, and over the years it has housed a rotating group of producers. Today, Pierre and his parents are the sole producers to make wine here.

After working for a short stint as a motorcycle mechanic, Pierre spent two years in the Loire Valley before returning to the domaine. In 2014, he reclaimed 1 hectare of Côte de Brouilly for his first cuvée - 100% Cotton. In 2015, he reclaimed another 2 hectares of Brouilly from the family holdings, and in 2016, he purchased 1 hectare of Regnié, and 1 hectare of Beaujolais. Starting in 2017, he will harvest 0.3 HA of Beaujolais Blanc on a unique vein of limestone near the domaine, with the possibility to plant more Blanc in the future.

Inspired by tasting wines with compatriot friends Yann Bertrand, Jules Metras, and Keke Descombes, Pierre’s wines are all farmed organically and made without any sulfur. Vinification is semi-carbonic in large cement tanks, and then the wines are aged for 8-9 months in old foudres that range in size from 14 to 42 hectoliters.

Fruit for ‘Brouilly’ comes from organically farmed 65-year old vines rooted in pink granite, aged eight months in used oak. Organic, vinified without sulfur and unfiltered. Elevage for 8 months in used foudres. Annual production of 6,000 bottles