Name: Beaujolais Viognier 2022 • The Daily Pour
SKU: 833913
Price: 37.95 CAD
Availability: InStock

Although 98% of wine production in Beaujolais is red (made from Gamay Noir), the remaining 2% is white or rosé wine. In order to be stamped with the French AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) of Beaujolais or Morgon, a white wine must be made from either of the two permitted varietals, Chardonnay or Aligoté. However, the Lansons believe that the poor, granitic soil located on the specific plot, Bellevue, is perfectly suited for growing Viognier! As a lover of Viognier, I can assure you they are on to something!

Technically, this wine cannot be called “Beaujolais Blanc” because it is not made from one of the permitted white varietals, as mentioned above, therefore the Lansons have aptly named this wine Les Granits de Bellevue. The 2022 vintage is their fourth release, however they produce and export a very limited number of cases. As they are currently the only ones who have planted Viognier in Morgon, this wine truly is a rare find!

Vinification notes:

Grapes are hand harvested and hand sorted to keep bunches intact
Partial destemming of grapes (some bunches are kept whole, with their stems on)
Half of the juice is fermented in stainless steel vats, and the other half in new French oak barrels (600L size)

It’s all about the soil…

Even though the region of Beaujolais is known for it’s fresh and fruity red wines made from a single grape variety (Gamay Noir), there are plenty of diverse styles to explore within this appellation!

Geographically sandwiched between Burgundy and the Rhône Valley, the Beaujolais region is naturally divided into two areas by the Nizerand River, with different soil types on each side. The North side of the river has soils that are mostly composed of granite and schist, which are known to be the best soil types for producing remarkable Gamay Noir. This area has been divided into 10 distinct Beaujolais ‘crus’ (superior growing areas) that produce high quality, complex, and ageable red wines. The South side of the Nizerand has soil mostly composed of clay-marl and this is where Beaujolais red, white, rosé, and Beaujolais Nouveau wines are produced.

Out of the 10 crus, Morgon is known to produce some of the richest, deepest coloured wines of the entire Beaujolais region. The granite, schist and volcanic soils found here create a hard terroir that demand a lot from the vine and in the end, produce full bodied, high quality wines.

In the heart of Morgon, lies Domaine de Leyre-Loup

Since 1993, the father-son duo of Jacques and Christophe Lanson have been making wine from 10 hectares of land across two Beaujolais crus – 7 hectares in Morgon and 3 hectares in Fleurie. The Leyre-Loup vineyards are all located on three renowned “climats” (a specific vineyard site): Corcelette, Bellevue and les Côtes. They have committed their viticulture and winemaking practices to high environmental and sustainability standards, showcasing their ongoing passion for balancing the art of winemaking with their respect for terroir.

The Domaine is certified with both Terra Vitis for their sustainable agricultural practices, and a High Environmental Value certification for their global environmental approach.