Sebastien Besson Bourgogne Rouge 'Les Bonnerues' 2022 (750 ml)

100% Pinot Noir
Fermentation Concrete & Stainless, Indigenous yeasts
Aging 12 months
Filter / fining Diatomaceous Earth, No fining
ABV 13%
Farming Methods Organic

The 2022 Les Bonnerues Bourgogne Rouge comes from one of the rare historical vineyard sites in Lancié still permitted to produce Bourgogne Rouge, a privilege preserved through centuries-old royal and appellation protections at the border of Burgundy and Beaujolais. The 13-year-old vines are planted in clay soils just before they give way to the granite hills of Beaujolais, creating a wine that feels suspended between the texture and restraint of Burgundy and the lifted energy of the south. After a natural fermentation with native yeasts in concrete, the wine was aged for one year in used 225L barrels to preserve freshness and site expression rather than mark the wine with oak. Only a small touch of sulfur was added at bottling. The result is a Pinot Noir of honesty and tension: dark cherry, crushed flowers, earth, and subtle spice carried by a texture that feels both supple and alive. There is a Burgundian soul here, but also a certain brightness and immediacy that speaks clearly to the granite hills waiting just beyond the vineyard.

There is a very exciting renaissance that has been happening in the Beaujolais region of France, and at its core is a new generation of winemakers that have learned everything they know from their progenitors. To pair with that unparalleled guidance, there is a youthful energy and worldly view that is taking the wines and the region to new heights. Sébastien Besson is now the fourth generation of the family to take the helm at Domaine du Penlois, which originated in the 1920’s by his great-grandfather Benoît, situated on a small hill called Lancié (nestled in between Morgon, Fleurie, and Moulin-à-Vent). Sébastien’s father, Maxence, took over in 1977 and accrued more and more Cru vineyards in the region, giving the Domaine 30 hectares in total. While making the sustainably farmed Domaine wines with his father, Sébastien began an eponymous project in 2016. He converted small granite-rich plots on the property to strict organic farming, spanning not only portions of their Village Appellation sites, but parcels of three Crus as well (a total of 7 hectares). With natural fermentations and aging in concrete vats, and a small sulfur addition before bottling, the wines of Sébastien Besson are pure, driven, and remarkable expressions of top Beaujolais.

Tech Sheet