Guy in his cellars, courtesy of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.
Today we’re highlighting the 2018 releases from another one of our favorite Beaujolais producers, Guy Breton. We’ve spoken about how passionately we feel about this vintage in the context of the excellent wines from Clos de la Roilette and Lapierre, and this is another important set of releases from this superlative year.

The more we open bottles from Guy Breton, the more we find a deep connection with them. Guy forms part of Kermit Lynch's famous "Gang of Four" alongside Foillard, Lapierre, and Jean-Paul Thevenet, although he is probably the least known of the group. His wines are decidedly more subtle renditions, leaner and lighter in color, but make no mistake, they are as complete as anything coming out of Beaujolais, and in good vintages satisfy on the level of great Pinot from the Cote d’Or as well.

Breton’s is a small domaine, with about 5 hectares in total, composed mostly of old vines in and around Morgon. His vines here are planted high on the slope over sandy granite. Even with his predisposition toward lifted, punchier wines, he ends up picking several weeks later than his colleagues due to his vines’ altitude. This results in wines loaded with character, minerality and complexity, all carried on a tightly packed frame. In ripe vintages like ’18, the wines are scintillating from the get-go, with plenty of intensity to carry them gracefully as they age.

We have two wines from his cellars to offer today. The first is his Beaujolais Villages “Marylou,” named after his daughter, which comes from “younger” (45-year-old) vines.  This is his irresistible ode to the glou-glou side of Beaujolais, imminently drinkable and always appropriate. His Morgon VV is his flagship cuvée, made from 80-year-old vines in two lieux-dits. The ’18 is already a deeply impressive drink, but will really start firing after 5 years in the cellar, with all the stuffing to see out a decade or more. It’s easily one of the most overdelivering, undervalued reds we have the pleasure of working with given its immense poise and potential, and we recommend it and open it as often as humanly possible. We’re excited to give these the spotlight they deserve today.  

The wines below are offered on a first come, first served basis. Follow the links below to purchase directly from our site or call/email us if you need some assistance.

Cheers,
  
THE WINES
 
GUY BRETON - BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES, CUVEE MARYLOU 2018
24+ BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$23.99/BOTTLE
Much of Guy's career in the Beaujolais has been spent trying to show people the potential of his home appellation by making wines with more complexity and depth than is found in the simple juicy nouveau released every fall. Marylou, named for his daughter, is a wine made with a shorter maceration from younger vines than the other Beaujolais he produces. It bursts with crunchy red fruit and tart citrus tones with some subtle earthy character. In the glass it is quite hazy, proudly flaunting Guy’s hands-off wine making style. That said, it is very clean and bright and when served with a slight chill it is dangerously easy to drink.
 
GUY BRETON - MORGON, VIEILLES VIGNES 2018
24+ BOTTLES AVAILABLE | 2 3Ls AVAILABLE
$34.99/BOTTLE | $295.00/3L
Guy Breton's calling card has long been his old vine Morgon, which represents a large part of his production. Produced from a few acres of 80 year-old Gamay planted on granitic sand, this is a Morgon par excellence and the 2018 we’ve just received is exceptional. The wine is impeccably balanced with ripe, not boisterous red fruit, crackling with minerality and savory notes of black tea and earth. There is a bit of tannic grip for a Gamay but the wine is totally in harmony, with refreshing acidity and incredible persistence on the palate. This is a bottle that will reward 5-10 years of patience handsomely.