2003 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Fleurie Poncie

Pierre-Marie Chermette is located in the hamlet of Le Vissoux in the southern Beaujolais region. With his wife Martine, Pierre-Marie owns and operates Domaine du Vissoux. The estate has been in existence since the 17th century, and Pierre-Marie’s family has been involved in winemaking in the region for generations. Pierre-Marie studied oenology at the University of Dijon before devoting himself full time to the family estate. Over the years the couple has acquired vineyards throughout the Beaujolais region, and they were among the first in the area to use sustainable agricultural practices. The estate makes red and white wines, and has been complimented in the New York Times and elsewhere for raising the quality of winemaking in Beaujolais. Wine Advocate has noted that “Chermette has successfully expanded from his base in southern Beaujolais without quality in any way suffering; on the contrary his mastery of the northern Beaujolais crus is now also a fait accompli.”

Fleurie is a village located near the center of Beaujolais, and the Beaujolais Cru appellation named for it encompasses nearly 2,000 acres of vineyards. Many admirers of Beaujolais consider the Fleurie appellation to be one of the best, if not the best, of the Cru appellations and its wines are generally lush and aromatic. Some 500,000 cases are produced annually. Like nearly everywhere else in Beaujolais, the only grape grown is Gamay. Fleurie the village is charming and quaint and attracts many tourists.

The Gamay grape produces a light, versatile and food-friendly wine. It is best known for making Beaujolais Nouveau, but it is also grown in Loire and Tours. Thankfully the 14th C. Duke of Burgundy’s degree to ban the grape did not spread through all of France.