Yann Bertrand

Beaujolais
France
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Yann Bertrand

Beaujolais
France
France
PRODUCER
Yann Bertrand
ESTABLISHED
1992
FARMING PRACTICE
Biodynamic, Certified Organic, Organic
REGION
Beaujolais
France
CITY / VILLAGE
CLIMATE
Continental
ELEVATION
SIZE
7.5 hectares

About

Growing up in Fleurie, Yann Bertrand never thought he would become a winemaker. He briefly enrolled in commerce at a local university, then traveled around the French Alps for a few years. When applying for local jobs, he noted that he was the son of a vigneron and soon found himself working at wine bars and wine shops, surrounded by passionate wine geeks and artisan winemakers who often came to deliver wine themselves. Tasting wines in a new way, he began to ask himself questions, and eventually decided that the métier of a winemaker would be interesting to him if he pursued it with the same passion as the role models he encountered.

Returning to the Beaujolais, Yann began to learn from the incredible circle of producers that he never knew before – including well known people like Jean Foillard and Yvon Métras, as well as the behind-the-scenes guru Jacques Neauport (the quiet right-hand to the legendary Jules Chauvet). The entire Domaine Les Bertrands encompasses one 7.5 hectare vineyard, mostly in Fleurie, with a bit over the line in Morgon. The vineyard is loaded with ancient vines–the youngest are 30 years old, with the oldest vines at 110 years of age. His parents had been slowly moving in the direction of organic viticulture since taking over the family domaine in 1992; in 2013, the entire vineyard was certified organic. Additionally, Yann took on 1.5 hectare to farm on his own using biodynamic principles and created two new cuvées d’exception made in the neo-Beaujolais style of his well-known neighbors.

Products

Fleurie 'Cuvee du Chaos'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Biodynamic, Certified Organic
DETAILS

Certified Organic and Biodynamic. 100% Gamay. From 2 ha of vines in 2 parcels of Bertrand’s eldest familial vineyards. Primarily grown on decomposed granite and sand, this poor, acidic soil allows for concentrated wines. Bush trained according to the lunar calendar to aid vine regeneration. Native cover crops are grown and tilled into the soil every other year to aid soil health. A blend of plants is used for vine treatments (nettle, buckthorn, etc.). 10 days of carbonic maceration, of which 3 days were strict carbonic with racking. 15% elevage in cement tank, and the rest is demi muids 600L for 9 months. No fining, filtering or SO2.

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Fleurie Folie

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Certified Organic
DETAILS

Biodynamic and certified organic. These are among the ‘youngest’ vines from the vineyard of Grand Pré, one of the more established and serious of Yann’s estate parcels. The vines are 30-60 years old, largely on sandy granite soils. Carbonic maceration of about 15 days. Aging 50% in steel tank and 50% in 225L barrels. Don’t underestimate this ‘simple’ bottling: this is no goofy wine, but rather, a pretty, substantial, and pure expression of Fleurie.

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Morgon 'Dynamite'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Biodynamic, Certified Organic
DETAILS

Certified Organic and Biodynamic. From a single 1.16 hectare parcel of 80-110 year old Gamay. Primarily granitic sandstone, this poor, acidic soil allows for concentrated wines. Bush trained according to the lunar calendar to aid vine regeneration. Native cover crops are grown and tilled into the soil in alternating rows to aid soil health. A blend of plants is used for vine treatments (nettle, buckthorn, etc. 10 days of carbonic maceration, of which 3 days were strict carbonic with racking. Elevage in used demi muids of 600L and used barriques of Pinot Noir for 9 months. No fining, filtering or SO2.

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Saint Amour 'Les Bambins'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Organic
DETAILS

Organic Conversion, Practicing Biodynamic. From a 1.1 ha parcel from “Côte de Besset” on the hilltops of Saint-Amour. Native cover crops are tilled into the soil in alternating rows. Cold carbonic maceration for 20 days. Elevage of 50% in 600L demi muids, and 50% in 225L for 8 months. No fining, filtering or SO2

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Beaujolais 'Oh !!!'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Certified Organic
DETAILS

Certified organic. Practicing Biodynamic. 100% Gamay. From two separate plots: 1ha in Corcelles (Density: 11,000ft/ha), and 0,69ha at Lancié (Density 10,000ft/ha). The soil is composed of a granitic arena made up mainly of sand. Clay subsoil. Gobelet pruning according to the lunar calendar to regenerate the wood. Alternating ploughing and controlled natural grassing. Strict carbonic maceration with daily racking for 4 days, and 16-17 days of additional carbonic maceration. 30% elevage cement tank and 70% in old 225L barrels for 8 months. No fining, filtering or SO2.

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Beaujolais 'Lantignie'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Organic
DETAILS

Certified Organic, Practicing Biodynamic. 100% Gamay. From a 1 ha parcel located in the “Bastys” area. Composed of a deep granite arena at 500m altitude. Cordon pruning to 6200 vines/ha. Alternating plowing and permanent inter-row grassing. Strict carbonic maceration with daily racking for 12-13 days in 2 tanks, elevage in old barrels of 225 L for 8 months. No fining, filtering or SO2

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Fleurie Vieilles Vignes 'Cuvee Joshua'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Certified Organic
DETAILS

Certified organic and biodynamic. Another new bottling from Yann, composed of Gamay from vines in Fleurie that are between 47 and 76 years-old. This first edition of this wine underwent a 13-day, semi-carbonic maceration followed by aging in 300L barrels for eight months, then it was left to age in bottle for another eight months before release. Unfined, unfiltered, zero SO2 added. The cuvée name is an homage to Josh Adler, the late founder of Paris Wine Co., who was one of Yann’s earliest supporters and with whom he developed a close and admiring friendship.

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Fleurie 'Alice 6/10'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Certified Organic
DETAILS

Certified organic and biodynamic. This new entry in the Bertrand canon represents a celebration of ten years of making wine, six years of enduring consecutive hailstorms, and a tribute to Yann’s wife, Alice. From the sandy granite soils which give Coup de Folie and Coup de Foudre. A selection of older and younger vines. It's a semi-carbonic maceration blended with 40% of direct press and aged entirely in old barrels that previously contained Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Mondeuse.

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Triptyque Rouge Vin de France

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
FARMING PRACTICE
DETAILS

Certified Organic. A new cuvée for Yann as of 2023, from purchased grapes from Tavel, namely Grenache from limey loess soils, Syrah from a single sandy parcel, and Cinsault from a parcel of galets roulés, or worn pebbles. The Grenache underwent carbonic maceration for 22 days; as did Cinsault, with some light punchdowns towards the end; and the Syrah was pressed directly. The wine was aged for seven months, ½ in concrete tanks and ½ in 225L barrels. Unfined, unfiltered, no SO2 added. It’s worth noting this fruit is pretty special: these are grapes Yann didn’t have to seek out on his own. During summer of 2023, when Yann all of a sudden lost a significant amount of fruit to late hail, Thibault Pfifferling was with him; it was he who immediately offered to source grapes for Yann from his own excellent grower-neighbors and friends. Yann jumped on the occasion and made Triptyque.

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Fleurie 'Cuvee Emile'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Certified Organic
DETAILS

Certified Organic, Practicing Biodynamic. 90% Gamay, 10% Aligote. From a .8 haparcel of 80 to 100 year old Gamay vines planted on soils of granitic sand with 10% Aligoté. Certified organic farming, bush trained according to the lunar calendar. Alternating ploughing and controlled natural grassing. Cold carbonic maceration for 10 days. Elevage of 50% in 600L demi muids, and 50% in 225L for 8 months. No fining, filtering or SO2.

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Fleurie 'Phenix'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Organic
DETAILS

Certified Organic, Practicing Biodynamic. From a one hectare parcel located in the « En Prion » and « La Madone »hamlet where the subsoil is granitic.Top soil is shallow and is on a steep hill that forces the roots to dig deep. 10 days of carbonic maceration, of which 3 days were strict carbonic with racking. Elevage in demi muids of 600L for 8 months.

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Fleurie Vieilles Vignes

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
Organic
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Morgon 'Iron'

TYPE
Still / Red
VARIETAL
Gamay
FARMING PRACTICE
DETAILS

Certified Organic, Practicing Biodynamic. 100% Gamay. From a .70 ha plot located at “Bas Douby”. Composed of a granitic arena with high iron and shallow manganese content. Gobelet and cordon pruning on 6500 and 8600 vines/ ha. Alternating plowing inter-row grassing. Cold carbonic maceration for 15 days. For the elevage, 15% in cement tank, for the remaining: jus de presse in old Mondeuse barrels of 350, and the jus de tire was raised 600L futs for 8 months. No fining, filtering or SO2.

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