PAUL ET ERIC JANIN

Despite the increasing quality, awareness and appreciation of the region and its finest wines, this is certainly one of the few Beaujolais domaines that make their wines according to a ‘ground up’ philosophy. Certainly one of the leaders in the Moulin-à-Vent region, Janin makes beautiful, hand-made, authentic wines from old, low-cropped, bush grown vines, a third of which are now over eighty years old. These wines come exclusively from Janin’s own vineyards, are hand harvested and made with the greatest care without the use of any herbicides or pesticides and with minimal sulphur. The latter, in conjunction with the ’living soil’ viticulture and the traditional use of large, used oak, brings the added dimension of liveliness and plushness to the wines - without sacrificing any freshness. All wines are subject to strict fruit selections and are fermented with indigenous yeasts. The result is a range of vineyard-driven, dense, yet completely refined, vividly flavoured and well structured red wines.

While ripe and supple with fine structures, the wines show real individual expression. Although it is common for people to point to the famous pink granite and ‘gryphees’ (fossilised seashell) soil types of this cru, there are a myriad of terroirs including large parcels of red clays and even more sandy plots. These can have a significant impact on the character of the finished wine. Eric Janin is a lovely man, and a highly respected, thoughtful grower. Most importantly he has superb vineyards. We recommend these wines to you. We have a little of the Vignes du Jumeaux 2008 for those who want a wine with a little age (and yes, these wines age very well) and then it’s the wonderful 2010s, a terrific vintage across Beaujolias. These wines have depth and power and yet they are bright and pure and wonderfully poised.