Domaine Thillardon, Chénas Les Blémonts 2023

Domaine Thillardon’s Chénas Les Blémonts 2023 is a beautifully lifted expression of Beaujolais, showing the lighter, brighter personality of the 2023 vintage without losing the depth and spice that define this prized terroir. Crafted from Gamay grown in the high-quality Les Blémonts vineyard, it marries vivid red fruit with a refined structure and a distinct mineral backbone. This is an elegant, terroir-driven Beaujolais that drinks beautifully now, yet has the balance to evolve gracefully over the years.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2023 Les Blémonts shows a vibrant ruby hue with a delicate translucency that hints at its finesse and freshness. The nose opens with pure red fruits—wild strawberries, raspberries, and redcurrants—layered with floral tones of violet and rose, plus a dusting of white pepper, subtle licorice, and a stony, almost graphite-like minerality. With air, gentle notes of dried herbs and crushed petals begin to emerge, adding complexity without heaviness. On the palate, the wine is precise and energetic, offering juicy, mouthwatering acidity that makes the red berry fruit feel both vivid and refreshing. Fine-grained tannins give just enough grip to frame the fruit, while the hallmark Les Blémonts spice—pepper, clove, and a touch of earthy savoriness—runs through the mid-palate. The finish is long, lifted and saline, leaving a lingering impression of red cherries, crushed rocks, and spice. While already very approachable in its youth, the structure and balance suggest a solid aging potential of 6–10 years, during which the wine will gain more savory, forest-floor and dried-flower nuances.

Production
Les Blémonts is a single vineyard in Chénas, one of Beaujolais’ most characterful crus, known for its granitic and sandy soils that naturally limit yields and give Gamay its precision and mineral drive. Domaine Thillardon farms these parcels organically with strong biodynamic influences, focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and careful canopy management to ensure optimal ripeness without excess weight. Harvesting is done by hand, with strict sorting in the vineyard and at the winery to select only the healthiest bunches. Vinification typically follows a semi-carbonic or whole-cluster approach in concrete or neutral vessels, allowing the natural character of Gamay and the terroir to shine through. Indigenous yeasts are used for fermentation, extraction is gentle, and oak influence—if used at all—is subtle and unobtrusive, with minimal sulfur at bottling to preserve purity and energy.

Food & Serving
This Chénas is wonderfully versatile at the table. Its bright acidity and refined tannins make it a superb match for charcuterie, pâté en croûte, and terrines, as well as roasted poultry, duck breast, pork loin, and herb-crusted lamb. It also works beautifully with earthy dishes like mushroom risotto, lentil stews, roasted root vegetables, and mildly spiced Mediterranean or bistro-style cuisine. Serve slightly cool, around 14–16°C, to highlight its freshness and aromatic lift. A brief decant of 30–45 minutes can help the wine open up, especially in its youth, enhancing the floral and spicy notes without diminishing its delicate, vibrant edge.

Producer
Domaine Thillardon is one of the leading new-generation estates in Beaujolais, based in the often underappreciated cru of Chénas. Founded and driven by the Thillardon brothers, the domaine has become a reference point for naturally inclined, terroir-expressive Gamay, farmed organically and with strong biodynamic principles. Their focus on meticulous vineyard work, low-intervention winemaking, and precise, site-specific bottlings has helped to reassert Chénas as a serious, age-worthy appellation alongside the more famous crus of Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. Widely respected by sommeliers and wine enthusiasts, Domaine Thillardon’s wines are now seen as benchmarks for pure, energetic Beaujolais, and Les Blémonts stands as one of their flagship expressions.

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