Yann Bertrand’s philosophy is simple; attain the most beautiful balance possible for the soil, as a soil with good equilibrium will produce a grape that represents the terroir where it is grown. His parents Guy and Annick moved to organic farming in 1992 with Yann switching up to bio-dynamics with the mentorship of Jacques Néauport

Established in the 1950’s by his grandfather Louis Bertrand, Les Bertrand is located in a special part of Beaujolais known as ‘Grand-pré’. A section that straddles the crus of both Fleurie and Morgon, rich in sandy granitic soil that Yann works so hard on year round.

The estate wines from these appellations are uniquely different even though all the vines are in the same area. The complexity found in the vineyard is demonstrated through these different cuvees.

Resulting from the disasters of frost and hail in 2016 & 2017, Yann was forced to look further afield, and has struck up ongoing sources of organic farmed grapes from Julienas and Saint Amour in the far north of the region from which he is making some excellent wines from terroir that intrigues him because of its stark differences to the home block.

This is from clay, schist and sandstone soils. Vivid, rich mightily delicious. A heady perfume of bright fruit and blue flowers, silky smooth on the palate with great tannin and moreish acidity. We tucked this away for an extra year and this is now looking extraordinarily good.