Jean-Claude Lapalu

The producer

Located in Saint-Étienne la Varenne, Rhône, Jean-Claude Lapalu's domaine was born in 1996 when he bought it. Previously, this son and grandson of a winegrower had been selling grapes to the Cave Coopérative since he moved to Brouilly in 1982, until 1995. Since acquiring his own plots, Jean-Claude Lapalu has vinified 12 hectares of vines, planted with Gamay grapes in the Beaujolais Village, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly appellations.

For his first harvest, he confides that he vinified traditionally, with short maceration and yeasting. Despite the lack of customers, he recalls being awarded a gold medal in Paris.

Commitment

But Jean-Claude had a more natural approach to wine. Quickly influenced by the oenologist who pioneered natural wines, Jules Chauvet, he wanted to transform his growing methods to get closer to the terroir. For example, he began by planting grass around his vines to protect them naturally from direct exposure to rain, frost and the sun's UV rays. This method reduces yields but increases the quality of the juice produced.

On his estate, 60% of the vines are ploughed, and the estate is certified organic and monitored by Ecocert (a certificate attesting that his estate meets environmental obligations detailed in a set of specifications). Jean-Claude Lapalu adopts simple principles, believing that wine should be nourished as much as possible by its natural surroundings, so that it can best express its flavors and tannins. He has therefore abandoned the use of chemical yeasts, chaptalization and sulfur.

Terroir

Extending over 12 hectares of granite soils at the foot of Mont Brouilly, the estate includes 8 hectares of old Gamay vines (up to 70 years old) which give lower yields and have particular characteristics according to the soils and their location, and therefore according to each parcel.

Jean-Claude Lapalu works with respect for the terroir, and therefore uses no chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. He prefers to plough the vines to keep the soil alive. To protect the soil and the vines, he uses only organic treatments that preserve the indigenous yeasts. Naturally, the grapes are harvested by hand.

The wines

L'Eau Forte is a 100% Gamay wine, natural but with a strong personality! With notes of red fruit and a touch of florality, this wine is greedy, elegant and subtle, offering exceptional substance on the palate. Although it's 14.5°, it drinks like whey and invites you to go overboard...

La Tentation is a 100% Gamay wine. Its nose is fresh and fruity, the palate is mineral with black fruits such as cherry. It's a gourmet wine, natural and deeply digestible.