Raised in the cellar of one of natural Beaujolais's founding figures, Damien Coquelet started making his own wine before he was old enough to legally drink it in much of the world.
Backstory
Damien Coquelet grew up alongside Georges Descombes, the partner of his mother and one of the pioneers of natural Beaujolais. He launched his own domaine in 2007 at the age of twenty, carrying forward the same philosophy he absorbed throughout his childhood: organic farming, native-yeast fermentation, and a rejection of chemical additions in the cellar.
The Region
The Damien Coquelet domaine sits in the Beaujolais crus of the southern Burgundy region, with vineyards spread across Morgon and Chiroubles as well as the Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais appellations.
Vineyards & Farming
Coquelet farms roughly nine hectares on granitic, sandy soils, including about four hectares on the celebrated Cote du Py in Morgon and two hectares in Chiroubles, plus parcels in Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais. The vines are farmed organically from the start and worked toward certification.
Winemaking
Following the lead of Descombes, Coquelet works with whole clusters and native yeasts, avoids chemical products during vinification, and uses little to no sulfur in aging. The result is wine made as transparently as possible.
The Wines
The Damien Coquelet lineup is led by Morgon Cote du Py and Chiroubles, joined by Beaujolais-Villages and a Beaujolais. The wines are lively, silky and fresh, with crunchy fruit and the easy drinkability that made natural Beaujolais famous.
