Domaine Coquelet Chiroubles Villes Vignes

Domaine Coquelet Chiroubles Villes Vignes is a natural, organic Beaujolais cru wine made from 100% Gamay at 12.5% ABV in a 750ml bottle. Produced by Damien Coquelet from old vines averaging 50 years of age in the Chiroubles appellation, this wine earned 93+ points from critic John Gilman for the 2015 vintage — a remarkable achievement for a natural Beaujolais.

Quick Facts: ABV: 12.5%  |  Origin: Chiroubles, Beaujolais, France  |  100% Gamay  |  Producer: Damien Coquelet

Production & Heritage

Damien Coquelet farms his Chiroubles vineyards organically, drawing fruit from old Gamay vines that average half a century in age. The grapes undergo whole-cluster, extended carbonic maceration lasting nearly a full month — significantly longer than the typical Beaujolais carbonic fermentation, which often lasts only one to two weeks. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with no added sulfur dioxide, placing it firmly in the natural wine tradition while retaining the expressive terroir character that defines the Chiroubles cru.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with perfumed red fruits — fresh cherry and bright raspberry — before giving way to pungent flowers and a dusting of baking spice. There is an underlying earthiness and subtle gamey quality that signals the wine's natural winemaking origins.

Taste: The palate enters with crisp, high-toned acidity carrying ripe cherry and cranberry fruit. At mid-palate, flavors expand into fleshy blackberry and bitter cherry alongside loam, dusty black pepper, and crushed flowers. The wine becomes spicier with air, revealing compelling mineral undertones and terroir-driven complexity.

Finish: The finish is medium in length with a clean, lifted quality and lingering notes of red fruit, crushed stone, and a gentle peppery warmth. A light tannic grip keeps everything structured without heaviness.

How to Drink Chiroubles Villes Vignes

Serve this wine slightly chilled, around 55–60°F (13–15°C), to highlight its bright acidity and aromatic lift. It drinks beautifully on its own and does not need decanting, though 15–20 minutes of air can open the spice and floral notes further. A classic Beaujolais Kir uses the wine's fruit-forward character as a base for crème de cassis. It also works well in a simple red wine spritzer for warm-weather drinking, where its cranberry-like acidity stays refreshing. For a more adventurous serve, use it in a Kalimotxo-style drink, where the wine's rustic earthiness and bright fruit stand up to cola's sweetness with surprising balance.

Best For

• Natural wine enthusiasts exploring high-quality Beaujolais crus
• A weeknight dinner wine that rewards thoughtful food pairing
• Introducing friends to serious Gamay beyond Beaujolais Nouveau
• Building a cellar of terroir-driven, minimal-intervention French wines

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Chiroubles Villes Vignes taste like? It leads with fresh cherry, raspberry, and cranberry fruit, followed by earthy layers of loam, black pepper, crushed flowers, and mineral notes. High-toned acidity keeps the wine bright and lively throughout.

How does Chiroubles Villes Vignes compare to entry-level red Burgundy? Both wines share a Burgundian sense of terroir and aromatic complexity, but Coquelet's Chiroubles delivers that depth at a fraction of the price of most Côte de Beaune or Côte de Nuits Pinot Noir. The Gamay grape provides more immediate red-fruit vibrancy and lighter tannins than Pinot, making it more approachable young.

Is Chiroubles Villes Vignes good for sipping on its own? Yes — its combination of bright acidity, layered fruit, and terroir complexity makes it an engaging wine to drink neat, especially when served slightly chilled. The natural winemaking style gives it an energy and liveliness that holds attention glass after glass.

Where is Chiroubles Villes Vignes made? It is produced by Damien Coquelet in the Chiroubles appellation, one of the ten Beaujolais crus located in the northern Beaujolais region of Burgundy, France. Chiroubles sits at a relatively high elevation among the crus, which contributes to the wine's characteristic freshness and aromatic lift.

What foods pair well with Chiroubles Villes Vignes? Charcuterie boards with cured salami and pâté complement the wine's earthy, gamey notes. Roast chicken or duck confit echo its red-fruit character. Grilled salmon works well with the wine's acidity and light tannins. Aged Comté or Gruyère cheese mirrors the mineral depth. Mushroom risotto highlights the loamy, terroir-driven side of the palate.

What sizes does Chiroubles Villes Vignes come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle.

Is Chiroubles Villes Vignes worth the price? This wine positions as a premium natural Beaujolais cru, and with scores reaching 93+ points from John Gilman and an overall critic average of 88 points on Wine-Searcher, it consistently delivers above its price tier. Many critics have noted that it competes in quality with red Burgundy at twice the cost.

Why Chiroubles Villes Vignes?

What separates this wine from the broader Beaujolais field is the combination of 50-year-old vine material and an unusually extended month-long carbonic maceration — a patience most producers in the region do not exercise. The result is a wine with more structure, depth, and terroir expression than standard Beaujolais production yields. John Gilman's 93+ point score on the 2015 vintage confirmed what natural wine circles had recognized for years: Damien Coquelet is producing some of the most serious wine in Chiroubles. For anyone seeking an honest, organically farmed, zero-added-sulfur cru Beaujolais with genuine complexity, this bottling makes a compelling case for Gamay as one of France's most undervalued grapes.