Jean-Claude Lapalu is now one of the most revered growers in Beaujolais, a darling of the Paris wine scene, and an accidental icon in the “natural wine” movement in France. He was a bit of a late-comer, assuming his unique place in the Beaujolais nexus between the generation of his peers (Breton, Dutraive, Foillard, Métras, Thevenet) and the young generation today.

Lapalu assumed control of just under 30 acres of Gamay and released his first commercial wines in 1996 after taking over the domaine from his father in 1982. His eight parcels of east- and southeast-facing vines are scattered from Mont Brouilly south through the rolling hills of Odenas and his hometown of Saint-Etienne-la-Varenne. He now makes micro-parcel wines from 12 hectares of vines in and around the Crus of Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly.

Jean-Claude’s most significant early influence came from the writings of Jules Chauvet, the father of natural winemaking in France. But it was not until he tasted Henri Milan’s wines from Provence that he decided to make his own wines. In spite of a very vibrant scene in Beaujolais bursting with leading lights such as Foillard, Metras and Thévenet, and despite similarities in his approach, Lapalu was too shy to approach these luminaries until the mid-2000s. Once he did, an immediate friendship ensued, with admiration going both ways, and ever since he has been a comrade and a notable name in the band of heroes whose wines exemplify the greatness that Beaujolais can achieve.

“When I started, I wanted to shock”, he says. He began to question everything in the vineyard and the cellar, abandoning conventional farming and all of the winemaking additives he had learned to employ at wine school. Inspired by Chauvet, he began making wines without added yeast, sugar or sulphites. His, however, is a carefully studied approach. He makes incremental adjustments step by step, vintage by vintage, until he is satisfied he cannot reduce anymore. His curious mind explores new possibilities, taking risks, with the goal of making better wines. In 2009, he started making some wine in amphorae (clay jars), disregarding the loss of the right to label it as a Cru Beaujolais, just so he could study if this would present an opportunity to achieve a more transparent expression.

Jean-Claude is committed to a strict biodynamic regimen now, a step he feels is necessary to take his wines to the next level. The domaine received its organic certification from Ecocert with the 2010 vintage and Jean-Claude is now in the process of gaining the Biodyvin certification for biodynamics. During the élévage, many of his cuvées see little or no sulfur, and when they do, it is usually only a small dose at bottling. Nonetheless, he is not dogmatic on this point, but he believes he can make great wines without it, that one can make “natural wines that are correct.”

For the uninitiated, Jean-Claude’s wine can almost overwhelm you with their vibrancy and vivacity. — Neil Martin We were seduced by the quality of his wines… We salute the pursuit of maturity and concentration, which inevitably requires effort in limiting yields and taking risks in pushing the date of harvest. — ‘Best Wines of France’, La Revue du Vin With Jean-Claude Lapalu’s wine you can detect the fists behind the fruit. This is one of the new crew of sternly made rock steady cru Beaujolais. And yet the Brouillys are neither heavy nor clumsy and one could easily imagine them aging 10-15 years. — Doug Wregg

Lapalu’s expression is one of opulent intensity. Right from the beginning he was convinced that full ripeness was a prerequisite to making worthwhile complex wine and noticed that it was generally lacking in the region’s produce. Everything that he has done since he started making wine has been with the aim of achieving this as naturally as possible. Viticulture is key — old vines, organic/biodynamic farming — and along with his thoughtful evolution in the cellar over the years, it is the foundation of his commitment to delivering the most memorable expression possible of his old-vine Brouilly, all without sacrificing drinkability.

Lapalu’s wine is quite cerebral at first pour; you will contemplate it, wondering how such depth is ever achieved, yet it feels natural and seamless, with no oakiness, just pure dense fruits complicated by mineral overtones. By the second and third pours, the wine begins to unfurl, the perfume emerges, and the sweetness escalates. Lapalu’s wines are true blue Beaujolais, their paramount virtue of addictive gulpability expressed in a way that captivates both the classical drinker as well as the hardcore naturalist. We have never seen a Lapalu bottle that is not finished quickly. This is expressive and assertive Beaujolais, charming and serious at the same time.

The best Beaujolais of the 2019 vintage are, to quote William Kelley: “perfumed and floral… [they] display all the succulent charm and elegance that Beaujolais purists prize”. Jean-Claude Lapalu’s 2019s most assuredly fall perfectly in this category. Vivacious and complex, focused and finessed, they are — without a doubt — supreme reference points for their respective appellations. We could not be more thrilled to present them to you today.

This offer is valid until 31 March 2021. Orders will be processed subject to remaining availability and final written confirmation. Some wines have restrictive supplies, so please understand that we may need to allocate them in order to ensure as equitable a distribution as possible. Full payment is required no later than 7 days after confirmation invoice is sent in order to confirm the purchase. All terms and conditions apply.