Domaine Jean Foillard

👨‍🌾 History and Family

• Origins: Jean Foillard, son and grandson of winegrowers, took over the family estate in 1981 in Villié-Morgon.

• Inspired by Marcel Lapierre, pioneer of natural wine, he committed to respectful viticulture, close to organic, without artifices.

• From the 1980s onwards, he was among the first winemakers to practice natural vinifications, becoming a leading figure of the movement.

📍 Location and Surface

• The estate is located in Villié-Morgon, at the heart of the Morgon appellation in Beaujolais.

• Surface area: about 16 to 20 hectares of vines.

• Iconic terroirs: the mythical Côte du Py and the renowned Corcelette, as well as some plots in Fleurie.

🌱 Philosophy and Practices

• Organic-style viticulture (not certified): respect for soils and natural balance.

• Manual harvests with fully ripe grapes.

• Natural vinifications: carbonic maceration, indigenous yeasts, no added sulfur or very little depending on the cuvées.

• Aging in old barrels (never new oak), to preserve fruit purity.

🍇 Grapes and Cuvées

• Single grape variety: Gamay, showcased in its finest expressions.

• Signature cuvées:

  • Morgon Côte du Py (freshness, structure, depth)

  • Corcelette (elegance and finesse)

  • Classic Morgon

  • Fleurie (delicate floral character)

✨ Estate Signature

The Domaine Jean Foillard is today an essential reference in Beaujolais, producing about 60,000 bottles per year. His wines are renowned for their balance between fruit and structure, enjoyable young yet capable of aging beautifully.