Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly Cuvee Zaccharie 2018 750ml

The 2018 Côte de Brouilly Cuvée Zaccharie Geoffrey has come together nicely since I last tasted it, and the wine's oak component now frames its attractive plum and cherry fruit tones more discreetly than it did a year ago. Medium to full-bodied, supple and fleshy, it's deep and structured, with a generous core of fruit covering its finely tannic bones. Today, its élevage simply lends it a bit of a Burgundian accent, and even if my personal taste still inclines me to the classicism of the regular cuvée, there's lots to appreciate here. This historic estate continues to rank among the reference points for classical, age-worthy cru Beaujolais, and the 2019 vintage is a great success here. As I wrote last year, the Geoffrays have banished herbicides and insecticides from their vineyards and number among the appellation's most conscientious farmers, working toward organic certification. In the cellar, winemaking is traditional, with semi-carbonic maceration and élevage generally in foudre—though some small cuvées see a little new wood.