Olivier Pezenneau

Granite-rooted Gamay from Beaujolais's most mineral cru.

Olivier Pezenneau works the granite slopes of Côte de Brouilly, one of Beaujolais's ten crus and a region defined by its volcanic terroir and elegant Gamay expressions. The winery's two flagship wines—Côte de Brouilly Le Quelat and Côte de Brouilly Lieu Dit 'Combiaty'—both draw from Gamay, the grape that thrives in these cooler, mineral-rich soils. Le Quelat, rated 89.0 by Wine Enthusiast, shows the precision that Côte de Brouilly demands; the Combiaty bottling, at 88.0, reflects the site-specific character of its lieu dit designation. These are wines of structure and restraint—Gamay with backbone, shaped by granite and altitude rather than extraction. Côte de Brouilly sits at the southern edge of the Beaujolais crus, where the continental climate and steep vineyard slopes produce reds with acidity and complexity that reward attention.