Stéphane Aviron 2023 Fleurie Vieilles Vignes Domaine de la Madrière 750ml

Stéphane Aviron came to wine the way manyof Beaujolais's most obsessiveproducers do — through family, and thenthrough genuine study. His fatherworked as a wine brokerwith his own oenological laboratory,and after training in Beauneand Dijon, Stéphane spent timeworking for wineries in the UnitedStates before returninghome to join his father's business,eventually becoming a bottler, aconsultant, and finally a winemaker inChénas. What emerged from that path isa producer widely described as aneo-traditionalist: someone whocombines fruit from genuinely old vineswith both modern and traditionalwinemaking methods to build Beaujolaiscru wines that stand up, in seriousnessand complexity, against fine Burgundy.

Every wine in the Aviron range carriesthe "Vieilles Vignes" designation for a specific reason — everyvineyard he works is planted with vinesat least forty years old. Domaine de laMadrière is the crown of thatportfolio: a five-hectare estatevineyard in Fleurie itself, one of theten Beaujolais crus, farmedbiodynamically on clay and limestonesoils. Unlike most of the other crubottlings in the Aviron range — sourcedfrom purchased fruit from growersAviron works closely with — Madrière isestate-owned and estate-farmed, givingAviron direct control over every stageof the vine's life.

Fleurie has areputation within Beaujolais as themost delicate and most floral of theten crus — lighter in structure thanthe more muscular Morgon orMoulin-à-Vent, built instead on perfumeand finesse. Recent vintages of thisexact wine have consistently shownnotes of sweet strawberries, plums, andred fruit compote, a medium tofull-bodied and nicely concentratedstyle that carries real firmness andstructure, particularly on the finish —wines that critics have repeatedlynoted are built to reward patiencerather than simply drink young.Wine-Searcher's aggregate across thewine's vintage history sits at89 points, with several vintages (2021,2022) scoring as high as 92. A cruBeaujolais built with genuineambition, from vines old enough to havereal stories to tell.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Stéphane Aviron built his reputation as aneo-traditionalist producer based inChénas, focused specifically on the tencrus of Beaujolais — the highest-rankedcommunes in the region, whose wines arecapable of real complexity andage-worthiness, standing apart from thesimpler, immediately-consumed style ofBeaujolais Nouveau. Every wine in hisrangeis labeled Vieilles Vignes becauseevery vineyard he sources from —whether estate-owned or purchased fromgrowers with whom he has close workingrelationships — is planted with vinesat least forty years old.

Domaine dela Madrière is Aviron's own estateproperty in Fleurie, comprising fivehectares of vines farmed underbiodynamic cultivation on clay andlimestone soils — the terroircombination widely credited with givingFleurie its distinctive floral, elegantcharacter within the broader Beaujolaiscru hierarchy. Unlike the majority ofAviron's cru range, which is sourcedfrom purchased grapes from nearbygrowers (with total production acrossthe full portfolio reaching roughly270,000 bottles annually, 90% of whichis exported), Madrière is a genuinesingle-estate bottling, giving Avironcomplete oversight from vine to bottle.The wine is 100% Gamay, hand-harvestedfrom vines now well over four decadesold, vinified using Aviron'scharacteristic blend of traditionalBeaujolais technique and more modernwinemaking precision to produce wineswith real structure and agingpotential.

Tasting Profile

The following profile reflects the confirmed, consistent house style of this exact estate bottling across recent vintages.

Nose
A fresh, airy, andexhilarating nose — violets andmaraschino cherry lead, alongsideraspberries and strawberry compote,with some background minerality fromthe clay and limestone soils. Sweetstrawberries and ripe plums addgenerous fruit warmth, occasionallyjoined by tangy blackberry and peachnotes in warmer vintages.

Palate
Medium to full-bodied, juicy, and nicelyconcentrated — cherries and ripe plumscarry the primary fruit character,spiked by real acidity and tannin thatgive the wine genuine structure wellbeyond what casual Beaujolais drinkersmight expect. Fine and powdery tanninsin riper vintages add a velvety,layered texture to a fleshy core offruit.

Finish
Quite firm andstructured, especially at the close — afinish that can seem a littleunyielding in its youth but is builtspecifically to reward patience.Succulent acidity carries through to anicely defined, food-friendly close.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Roast chickenand duck
• Charcuterie and pâté
• Mushroom dishes
• Grilled salmon
• Softand semi-soft cheeses — Brie,Saint-Marcellin