France Gonzalvez pouring to Mathieu Lapierre
This was at
Les Beaux Macs, a tasting that took place near the Grands Boulevards in Paris, in the Salle des Miroirs (pic on right) which is located in the
Passage Joffroy, a Napoleon-era covered street designed for cosy shopping, 19th-century style (worth the detour if you come to Paris - pic on left). Les Beaux Macs is a yearly tasting featuring wines from the Maconnais and the Beaujolais, its access is free but for professionals only, and with about 30 wineries taking part

you can reasonably hope to taste most of the wines without running. Still, as I went there after work, I had to make choices among

the wineries, most being unfamiliar to me. In that regard, luck or inspiration helped, like when I spotted Mathieu Lapierre (who was himself presenting his wines that day) having his glass filled by a young
vigneronne which I learned later was named France Gonzalez. Remember : when you have no clues, trust your inspiration or check who is standing at a given table, it sometimes helps...
__ France Gonzalvez
Escapade, white vin de France 2011. Chardonnay. 30-are, 20-30-year-old vineyards farmed organic on granite (usually ist's limestone with clay). 5,5 € without tax. Hand picked. Wild yeast, no SO2 added on the incoming grapes, just 1 gram added at bottling. No stirring of the lees. The wuine has a living feel. She had 600 bottles left when the tasting took place.
__ France Gonzalvez
Cueillette, red vin de France (Gamay). She asked for the Beaujolais Appellation but it was refused. Nice nose of peony and faded flowers. High acidity. France set up her winery in 2008 with 1/2 hectare, she had her first baby in 2009 and added 1 1/2 hectare then which made a 2-hectare surface, after which she grew by another 2 hectares in
fermage in 2011, which makes 4 hectares. And she has now a 2nd baby...
__ France Gonzalvez
.G (or G spot), vin de France 2011, the name is misleading as the cuvée is not a table wine but an AOC Beaujolais villages, "vin de France" referring here to her first name, France. Light wine. 70-year-old vines on granite. 2/3 aged in casks, the rest in vats. Bottled in march 2012. Unfiltered and unfined.
this year was a tough one, she made as much volume on 4 hectares than last year on 2 hectares. She had also to spray 13 times compared to 5 times last year.
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