Jonathan Buisson and his wife Chloë are third-generation artisan producers in southern Beaujolais, farming ten hectares of estate gamay vines with organic and regenerative agricultural methods while incorporating agroforestry techniques. Nestled in an idyllic setting at the foot of the majestic Mont Brouilly, Domaine Les Roches Bleues enjoys exceptional growing conditions, with the famous pierre bleue (diorite, a hard, blue-hued igneous rock typical of Côte de Brouilly) giving delicious wines with incredible energy, structure, and freshness.
Pierreux is a limited-production, lieu-dit bottling of an over 60-year-old gamay vineyard planted by family members two generations ago in Brouilly. The vineyard is very special to the family, as Chloë’s grandparents had their historic fermentation house right in the middle of it. Pierreux is très solaire, or very sunny, with a south and southeast exposure. The soils consist of fractured pierre bleue on top of a deeper layer of diatomite, a siliceous sedimentary rock. This lieu-dit has a prestigious place with the Brouilly appellation, with a complex soil structure. Pierreux shows off the darker, silkier side of gamay with notes of cacao, blackberries, cassis, sweet spices, freshly cut herbs, and fleshy tannins with lots of length and elegance. This wine is a Cru Beaujolais built to improve for a decade or more, if you can avoid drinking it right away.
Vinification
Whole bunches are handpicked in small crates and selected in the vineyard. 14 days of spontaneous, whole-cluster, semi-carbonic maceration is followed by a very gentle and slow pressing using an old, wooden vertical press. The must is transferred into temperature-controlled cement tanks, where fermentation continues with native yeasts. After racking, the wine spends 14 months in 50% stainless steel and 50% old, neutral French foudres before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Only a very small amount of sulfur is used at bottling. 1300 bottles produced.
Region
Beaujolais
Appellation
Brouilly
Commune
Odenas
Vineyard
Lieu-dit Pierreux, south and south-eastern exposure
Elevation
250m
Grapes
100% Gamay
Vine Age
60+ years old
Soil
Pierre bleue (blueschist) on top of a deeper layer of diatomite, a siliceous sedimentary rock
Carbonic Maceration
14 days of spontaneous whole-cluster carbonic maceration, slow pressing
Fermentation
Spontaneous with native yeasts in temperature-controlled cement tanks with pump-overs
Aging
14 months (50% in stainless steel, 50% in neutral French foudres)
Farming
Certified Organic, Practicing Biodynamic, Agroforestry, Regenerative
S02 Total
45mg/L total
Fining & Filtration
None
Vegan
Yes
ABV
14%
Pack Size
12x750mL