Domaine de la Grosse Pierre ‘La Grosse Pierre’ Chiroubles Rouge 2021

Location: France, Beaujolais, Chiroubles 

Winemaker: Pauline Passot

Grapes: Gamay

From the Importer Weygandt: Pauline Passot comes from a winemaking family - the Passot family have been growers in Chiroubles for years. She did not at first follow this tradition. In her studies she obtained a degree in marketing, and then became sommelier at the Michelin star restaurant Pierre Orsi in Lyon. It was here that she realized, in relation to more famous wines, there was much to be proud of in the potential of Chiroubles, and that she needed to make these wines.

So in 2016 she had her first harvest. She now has 6 hectares on "fermage" (rented) from her parents. Her principal holding is the parcel named La Grosse Pierre in Chiroubles. Soil here is the classic granite "rose." Vines average 45 years. Next is the Chiroubles "Claudius" vines 90-100 years old, higher in the Grosse Pierre. Aux Craz, is at the highest elevation in Chiroubles (420 meters) and most are 70 year old vines.

The flagship of her domaine is the "Grille Midi", one of the great parcels of Beaujolais, with part in Fleurie and part in Chiroubles. Vines here are 40 to 60 years and are in organic viticulture (other parcels are being converted). Pauline also has a .45 hectare parcel of Fleurie Bel-Air with 50 year-old vines and a .80 hectare parcel of Morgon Douby at 70 years. Vinification is classic whole-cluster open carbonic, aged in concrete (the Grille in demi-muids), no filtering and little or no sulfites at bottling.