Brouilly

The Brouilly Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) is a municipal appellation that has been recognized since 1938. Its vineyards cover approximately 1,300 hectares, representing 20% of the total area of the Beaujolais crus. Brouilly is the largest and most “southern” of these crus. The municipalities entitled to use the appellation are Cercié, Saint-Lager, Charentay, Odenas, Saint-Étienne-la-Varenne, and Quincié. A unique feature of the appellation is that none of the municipalities it encompasses bears its name. The largest and southernmost of the Beaujolais crus takes its name from Mont Brouilly, where Brulius, a lieutenant in the Roman army, was stationed.

Made exclusively from Gamay noir à jus blanc, Brouilly wines are, of course, red wines. The soils of the terroir are poor, acidic, dry, and not very fertile. They exhibit various characteristics depending on the appellation’s subregions, which impart their distinct character to the wines: pink granite, diorite, marl-limestone substrates, crystalline detritus, and fine clay particles. In Cercié, a 22-hectare south-facing hillside produces a wine entitled to the “Pisse-Vieille” designation, Brouilly’s only recognized climat. Charming and pleasant, Brouilly is a bistro wine. This is evidenced by its success in Parisian bars and restaurants: 20% of the appellation’s total production is sold through the Parisian hospitality sector.

As enjoyable as it is, Brouilly is nonetheless a quality wine, as evidenced by the wines produced by Maison Coquard, Château de la Chaize, Domaine les Roches Bleues, and Domaine du Vissoux.