BACK ON THE BEAUJO TRAIN 🚋 (BIT OF THIS BIT OF THAT)

Source note: This post is adapted from Parched's July 21, 2026 newsletter

Hey,

How's it going? The warehouse is so full atm. Like bursting. Please help me and buy some wine so I can buy more wine.

No real theme this week but I realised lots of these wines come from producers with names beginning with B . Sorry, that's all I could muster after a long weekend. All bangers though...

The inaugural set of wines from Brice, aka Docteur Briçou, is something to shout about. Brice is now custodian of the land and cellar of the late, great Julie Balagny. Julie and her wines touched so many, there was nothing quite like them but these new wines are something I think Julie would be more than proud of.

Brice, a Beaujolais native, had been working as Julie's right-hand man since 2019 and they immediately hit it off. Her wine from Moulin à Vent was renamed in honour of Brice. He has now taken on some of her prized land in the high hills above Fleurie, away from the more famed Lieux-Dits, here we shoulder Chénas and are surrounded by more wild forest. He will continue to farm tirelessly, and honour the work of his mentor. The family has also allowed him to continue vinifications in Julie's cellar under the house. The ever-talented Delphine Chauvin, who drew Julie's label, has also given Brice her gorgeous illustrations, and this feels like a lovely gesture as the project transitions. This new chapter looks incredibly bright and after tasting last week I can gladly report the wines are singing.

The last we saw from Julie was wines of a warm vintage, but these '24s are from a cooler, fresher vintage. They are lithe and ethereal. Beaujolais of old in their featherweight structures and effortless drinkability.

Both wines from En Remont. Cayenne from the younger portion, although still over 50, on pure basalt. Whole bunch ferment for a month, moved by gravity and given a year to rest under the farmhouse. Wispy red fruit, stony minerality and just a really pretty wine. En Remont is the oldest section of vines, pushing way over a century, on pink granite and quartz. Similar fluid structure but showing a little more old vine complexity and length. Probably the most compelling Beaujolais I've tasted in some time. They just don't make 'em like this anymore. What a debut. Done Julie proud. Barely any left so be quick.

We also welcome a small tranche of very summery wines from Miss Alice Bouvot. A wonderful soul, whose endless energy and tireless approach to making vin vivant is truly unprecedented. IMO people wrongly dismiss her wines as overly 'natural' for the sake of it, but when these are on, they're so ON. IMO, Alice is one of the most skilled, creative vignerons in these hills. Never playing it safe, always experimenting, and wines that always make me feel good. She doesn’t do boring.

Liquid refreshment doesn't get better than Betty Bulles. I love this wine and drink it every vintage, yet this is its first time on the shelves. The blend changes, but this year it's Gewürztraminer from Alsace blended with its long-lost sibling Savagnin. Florals, perfectly reined in with lashings of acid and salt. Grenabar is a hazy, wild Grenache that has no right having so much acidity sourced this far south. Serve chilled to be chilled. A unique but exceptional take on the famed Les Corvées, sheer drinkability atop lots of savoury, mushroomy things. Very, very good. The Chardo is my pick of the bunch. Quince-like and captivating. If this had a fox or a moon on it, you wouldn’t think twice.

Bruno Rochard is also a new feature on the shelves. I was in a bit of a Chenin rut, opening a few recently and wishing I'd held off a couple more years for things to go all waxy and golden. That was until I tasted this. It's 2025, so very fresh-faced, young and cutting. Chenin in that laser-like, refreshing guise that's so immediately satisfying. Salty, sharp and very stable too. The first bottle of young Chenin that made me go YEAH in ages. I also couldn't say no to his cult fizz. Shame Wimbledon is over, as this is all strawberries and cream.

Bondonio has also dropped some new wines, and they've been such a hit since landing on the shelves I couldn’t pass on these. He is now firmly my go to producer when I'm feeling persuaded for something in Piedmont. The Langhe is declassified Barolo. Two unique expressions of Barbera too: D'Alba more classically structured and serious, D'Asti brighter and juicier. Both formidable at the table. My personal pick has to be Pelaverga. Spicy and fresh, this lesser spotted grape is a no brainer, seeing you from salumi to secondi with the utmost ease. A bit like if Pineau D’Aunis was made in Piedmont.

Finally, Breton Cidre. I used to sell bucket loads of this in a previous job, and it's easy to see why after knocking through the whole litre with a few mates this weekend. Perfectly balanced, rustically charming and just a whole lot of fun. Bargain price too. Go nuts. I only sell apple ferments if they’re really really good.

Ok, sorry for the long one.

Bisou
Fionn
xoxo