Christophe Pacalet, Chenas, 2023

Natural Chénas from the smallest of Beaujolais's ten crus, made following the philosophy of Christophe's legendary uncle Marcel Lapierre. Christophe established his domaine in 1999 after working with Lapierre from 1994-1998. He farms approximately 8 hectares of rented parcels selected for optimal cultivation, using "lutte raisonnée" principles without chemical herbicides or fungicides. Whole-cluster fermentation in large conical vats for 2-3 weeks, pressed in a traditional wooden vertical press, indigenous yeasts only, no sulfites added—pure expression using the Jules Chauvet technique.