Chateau de Javernand
Chiroubles, Beaujolais, France
Founded in 1917, Chateau de Javernand consists of a beautiful 18th century Château and almost 50 hectares of vines, located in the heights of Chiroubles, offering a wonderful view of the Saône valley. Arthur Fourneau and his good friend, Pierre Prost, produce benchmark Chiroubles from top quality vineyards, planted on poor, sandy, granite slopes, situated on what is arguably this cru's finest terroir.
Arthur's great grandfather, Auguste Faye, a wine merchant from Macon, bought Javernand in 1917, after visiting and falling in love with the Château and the surrounding property. Arthur, the fifth generation, and Pierre were both sons of winemakers who met in engineering school in Lyon. They became fast friends and Pierre wound up marrying Arthur’s cousin, Mathilde, and joined the estate in 2011. They now produce four cuvees of Chrioubles and one white Macon 6.5 ha of vines currently in organic conversion and agro-ecology (planting trees). The entire property consists of another 20 ha of woods and 15 ha of fields.
Chiroubles, the highest altitude of all the Beaujolais crus, produces some of the lightest yet most refreshing wines in Beaujolais. The poor, sandy, granitic soils are very similar to neighboring Fleurie yet the higher elevation has historically produced wines that are leaner in style. Recent vintages have produced wines with more depth whilst maintaining their freshness. Javernand’s are no exception, with ripe, intense aromas medium-rich textures, and elegant finishes.
Our Selections
Javernand Chiroubles Les Gatilles 2021
Gatilles are the little grey lizards that are abundant in the vineyards of Chiroubles, where the sunlight warms the sandy, stony soils. The 2021 Gatilles is made from 40-50 year old Gamay Noir vines from different vineyard plots of sand over granite bedrock. All vineyards are in organic converstion. Some plots are vinified utilizing carbonic maceration while others are vinified using classic Burgundian techniques. The different plots are blended together and allowed to rest for nine months in neutral concrete tanks before bottling.
The resulting wine has pretty floral nose with a mix of cherry and spice both on the nose and the palate. The wine is bright and round with juicy red fruits.
Chiroubles is the highest in elevation of the Beaujolais crus, producing some of the lightest but most genuinely refreshing wines. The soils are similar to the sandiest parts of neighboring Fleurie. Perhaps the most archetypically Beaujolais of all the crus, Chiroubles is best drunk relatively young.
Javernand Chiroubles Indigene 2020
What started as an experiment has become the leading edge at for Arthur Forneau and Pierre Prost. The Cuvee Indigene is 100% Gamay from a certified organic vineyard of both young and old vines, ranging from five to 40 years old. The sandy, granite, and iron-rich soils are planted with cover crops in order to boost the natural biodiversity, maintain moisture and fix nutrients in the soil.
Whole bunch spontaneous fermentation and carbonic maceration for eight to 12 days give the wine a burst of crunchy fruits. With a mere 10 mg of SO2 added at bottling, the Indigene maintains its fresh and lively characteristics all the way to the glass. The Indigene bursts with red fruit aromas on the nose, the palate is silky and supple, with a fresh, stony finish.