I bet I have had over 200 bottles of Thivin in my wine life. I love this stuff. You may have seen me comment that, IMHO, this is the best QPR in the world of wine. Hits almost in every vintage. Can’t recall a vintage since 2005 that I have not bought.
Wife was grilling chicken thighs tonight, a personal fave of mine. Fatty thighs with some char, and I drool for Beaujolais. I fantastic pairing.
I open one of the fridges, and a Thivin row was looking at me. Except some of these were different. They said “Godefroy”. That is it. Everything else was the same. Did not even remember ordering these.
Well, consider me dumbstruck. Just pouring it into a glass, wafts of briary wild strawberries, ripe earth, florals and smoke filled the air. The palate matched the nose, quite full-bodied for a Beaujolais, with a broad range of wild and tangy red fruits to some profound deep dark fruits. Zippy acids. Ground cover, wet earth, dry leaves. And a slight bitter note, which if anything, was more of an attractant as it cut some of the sweet. I perceived some stem inclusion, but do not know if that’s correct. The Thivin website says this cuvée is cut from their section of oldest vines, 80-100+ years. And contains some Chardonnay, perhaps adding to the floral profile.
I loved the Zaccaherie, this cuvée is even more vin du garde. Has a beefy element to it, bruising for a Beaujolais, suggesting a very long life.
Opened my first bottle of the basic cote brouilly (also 19) about a week ago with pizza. My back of the envelope note was “smells like a forest but a forest filled with fruit bushes - palate is piquant between the fruit and spice. delicious - really delicious.” Couldn’t agree with you more on the wine generally.
Immediately went online to find the zaccharie - looking forward to trying it soon and glad to read your post.
I had a bottle of the regular 2009 bottling a few weeks ago. As fresh and delicious as it’s always been, though I expect some around here will call it (or assume it to be) too ripe.
Thanks! I was searching my email and noticed Fass had offered it. Might be where Robert got it? I emailed him so I’ll have to wait for a reply before anything else.
Nice one Alfert! The Godefroy is hands down my favorite in the Thivin lineup: it’s classic deep Beaujolais, with that old vine sap, no make up and traditional vinification, bringing out the earthy tones to match the fruit, love it.
Great to hear the 2019 was up to scratch, i’ve a few tucked away to drink a few years down the line. My epiphany with this cuvée was drinking the 2014 when it had 4-5 years under the belt and I was blown away! Definitely a keeper…
Thanks for that! These special cuvees really have not made it to most of my fave retailers, so I’ve only had limited exposure, mostly to Zaccharie. This Godefroy is a definite “buy” again next time I see it.
Thanks for the note, Robert. I’ve opened several bottles of this so far, and it’s so, so good. I had to take the rest of the bottles to my off-site and bury them, otherwise they would have been like potato chips - gone. I’m looking forward to revisiting the wine in a few years.
Really looking forward to visiting the winery in the spring.
Love this wine! Thivin’s Godefroy is one of my very favorite Beaujolais. Hard to find in the States, mainly gray market, but it’s worth the search. I was lucky enough to visit the domaine in 2019 and taste with Claude and tour their parcels; in the interest of sharing the geek-out, my notes:
Godefroy is Thivin’s oldest plot of vines, on an east-facing exposure just above the flats outside Saint-Lager, on the piedmont of the Cote de Brouilly per se. 100 year old vines, teinturier intermixed, on an old rootstock unique to Beaujolais called Vialla.
Zaccharie is a blend of Godefroy and La Chapelle. In general across the domaine, the wines are kept in a mix of 14 hL foudre and barrique. New wood incorporated for the purpose of Zaccharie, 7-10%. Vaulerine and Ermitage coopers primarily. Claude began using barriques in a nod to tradition, because his great-great-grandfather Zaccharie used barriques primarily. Barriques used to be more common than foudre, prior to World War II. Wines are generally bottled in the spring following harvest, with the exception of Zaccharie, which is bottled in late summer.
La Chapelle is the other cherry parcel of Thivin’s 9-10 different parcels spread across the region. It’s a south-facing exposure at 400 m, just below the chapelle at the very top of the mont. Very steep, too steep to plow and very rocky. One block of 50-year-old vines and a younger block just five years old, trained cordon on wire. Also bottled as a vineyard designate; very fresh and linear. Notably acidic and red-fruited in cooler years.
I’ll post a few pics from my IG of the parcels if I can figure out how to link them lol.
I recommend while you’re there to take the time to head up to the summit of Mont Brouilly just behind the Domaine. It is very pretty on the top, and there is a walking circuit that loops around. There are some art installations and a spot where they explain the terroir and geology of the Beaujolais, cool views of the vineyards around, it’s worth it if you want geek out a little!
While I did not buy many 2015 Beaujolais - too ripe of a vintage for me - Thivin CdB was actually damn good. This old vine Cuvee with a handful of years in it is even better. I do not think it hits the highs of 2019, a more electric vintage, but this wine hits a lot of pleasure points. Juicy ripe and dark but with sufficient structure and meatiness to carry the fruit. Quite herbal and savory. Chewy, chalky tannins. Delish. And ideally, give it 3-5 more years.
