Producer: Jean Foillard  
Region: Morgon, Beaujolais, Burgundy, France  
Varietal: Gamay  
Year: 2015 

Wine Advocate, 92 Points 

"Named after an alchemical furnace, the one-off 2015 Morgon Athanor has the same origins as the domaine's cuvée 3.14, but it was so atypically ripe—attaining fully 15.4% alcohol—that the Foillard family thought it ought to bear a different name. Offering up a deep and brooding bouquet of cherries, wild plums, dark chocolate and fruit compote, it's full-bodied, rich and powerful, with an ample and muscular chassis of powdery tannin, a generous core of fruit and a long finish. While it's certainly no lightweight, it has turned out well despite its extreme style. It will be interesting to see how it evolves. Drink: 2022-2035." 

About the Producer: 

"Jean Foillard and his wife Agnes became the proprietors of Jean’s family vineyard in 1980. The 35-acre domaine has parcels outside of Villié-Morgan in the prestigious Beaujolais appellations of Morgon and Fleurie.

Jean was influenced early in his career by the traditionalist vigneron techniques championed by Jules Chauvet, the late, highly influential Beaujolais negociant who believed in natural winemaking. As Chauvet advocated, Foillard carefully tends his old vines, banning all herbicides and pesticides, harvesting late and taking a very minimalist approach in the cellar.

The domaine wins compliments from reviewers. Wine Advocate has noted that the domaine’s wines “are wonderful, life-affirming expressions of Beaujolais…If you are still under the misguided belief that Beaujolais cannot make world class wine, then you have not tasted the wines from Jean Foillard.”

Alcohol: 15.5%

*Discounts do not apply to items like this one in the Fine & Rare category. Price and availability in store may vary.