Régnié (say reh-NYAIE) is one of Beaujolais' finer, more elegant crus, combining the grace and perfume of neighboring Brouilly with the complexity and flesh of Morgon.

In 2010 winemaker Paul Cinquin’s creation is an effortlessly graceful wine, with plush fruit and perfume and plenty of freshness in between—a more terroir-driven wine than 2009, but equally ripe and pleasing, with a delicious silky texture in the mouth and lots of spice.

Few men know Beaujolais as well as Paul Cinquin—a winemaker and artisan through and through who lives and breathes the vines and soils of Beaujolais as his father and grandfather did before him. The Braves estate was founded in 1903 by Paul’s grandfather, and after pursuing a semi-professional career in cycling, Paul returned to the family business to tend the family’s 20+ acres of prime Régnié terroir.

The family’s excellent vines are mostly older and grow on a mix of classic pink granite (similar to Morgon), on steep hills with ideal southeast exposure. All tank-made, and neither fined nor filtered.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011