Team C&J
Chateau Thivin is the oldest and most respected vineyard estate in Mont Brouilly. The property’s history goes back all the way to the 14th Century when, in 1383, the first part of what would later be named Château Thivin was built. Over the next several hundred years, the property changed hands several times. In 1813, it acquired its current name, ‘Thivin,’ when a French barrister named ‘Thivind’ acquired the manor and vineyards as a national property.
In 1877, the property ended up on the auction block, and the two-hectare estate caught the eye of Zaccharie Geoffray. Zaccharie breathed new life into the small vineyard blocks, and under his watch eye, the potential of the estate began to take shape. With each Geoffray generation that followed, new lands were added, and new vines were planted.
Current patriarch Claude Geoffray is largely credited by the wine community for heralding a new age of exceptional Beaujolais wines at Chateau Thivin. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Côte de Brouilly appellation. It is thanks to Claude’s promotion of Brouilly wines that the region enjoys such accolades today.
Six generations of the Geoffray family have played a part in nurturing the lands of their Brouilly vineyards. The soils here are intensely granite, and those same granite characteristics show up on the palate of this lovely wine.
The entire estate is planted with Gamay grapes, most of which are nearly 50 years old. These vines are south-facing and planted on a slope to achieve the kind of slow ripening necessary to produce an elegant, balanced wine. Claude and his grandnephew, also named Claude, have transitioned the vineyard management to one focused on organic, biodiverse farming practices that include the use of cover crops to enrich the soil and forbid the use of insecticides. Each vine is also hand-harvested.
While we’re talking about the ins and outs of managing this famed Beaujolais estate, it’s worth mentioning the level of respect and gratitude the Geoffray family has for their team of vineyard workers. Not only does the winery’s website include bios of the Geoffray family, but they also go to great lengths to share the names of their farm workers, a few of which have been assisting the family since the 1980s, and the dozens of seasonal grape pickers who stay with the family each season. These mentions alone give you a sense of the authenticity of this wine and the family that produces it.
A cru Beaujolais wine must come from one of the ten cru appellations in Burgundy’s Beaujolais region, and Côte-de-Brouilly is one such appellation.
Brouilly has held AOC status since 1938, and at 1,200 hectares, it’s also the largest. Wines from Brouilly are often referred to as elegant wines with high concentrations of bright red fruits like strawberries and cherries, pronounced minerality, thanks to the region’s granite soils, and ageability, which is unusual for most Gamay wines.
Another interesting feature of the Côte-de-Brouilly appellation: only red wines may carry the appellation name. Having said that, however, winemakers are permitted to mix a small amount of white wine into their red wines. You may find some bottles with a touch of Aligoté, Melon de Bourgogne, or Chardonnay.
Gamay wines from Beaujolais are known for their nice acidity, light to medium-bodied profile, expressive minerality, and hints of floral notes, and this 2020 Château Thivin Brouilly Reverdon falls neatly into that description.
This Gamay wine has a beautiful deep garnet color and exhibits a bouquet of aromas. We picked up ripe pitted plum, earthy potting soil, lively cedar, and notes of soft cocoa. The palate is a classic cru Beaujolais palate that’s bursting with bright berry fruits like strawberry and cherry, but also more complex notes of ripe plum. Balancing the fresh fruit are sturdy earth flavors in the form of wet gravel and the same essence of potting soil found on the nose. Tying everything together is a hint of black pepper spice.
We really enjoyed this wine from one of our favorite wine importers, the legendary Kermit Lynch. It’s easy to see why Lynch’s talented team selected this bottle.
Enjoy this Beaujolais with a charcuterie plate, BBQ, or poultry dishes. Or, sip this refreshing red wine on its own.
France
Beaujolais
Gamay
13
Claude Vincent Geoffray
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Burgundy
30 Min to 1 Hour
Now to 2026
Château Thivin
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