Yvon Metras - Fleurie 2024
Yvon Métras' estate has become over the years a true icon of Beaujolais, sought after by enthusiasts for its demanding natural approach and its very pure vision of gamay. Located on the granite slopes of Fleurie, he crafts wines that are both delicate and deep, where one finds the touch of this discreet winemaker who always favors the living over technique. Here, old vines are worked by hand, yields are deliberately low, and the soils are maintained without artifices to preserve their energy. Fleurie is undoubtedly the cru that most clearly expresses this lace-like aesthetic, with floral, slender wines of great finesse in texture. In this context, Fleurie 2024 promises to be a luminous interpretation of the cru, concentrated yet airy, driven by perfectly controlled ripeness. It is a rare wine, produced in small quantities, which wonderfully illustrates the artisanal and almost confidential dimension of the house.
Yvon Métras Fleurie 2024 is born from gamay parcels deeply rooted in the granite sands of slopes, which give the grapes a pure aromatic profile and a very marked mineral framework. The harvest is entirely manual, with strict sorting in the vineyard to keep only healthy and ripe bunches, an essential condition for a low-intervention vinification. The cuvée is made in the spirit of great natural Beaujolais, with maceration largely in whole clusters, inspired by traditional semi-carbonic maceration, which preserves the crunchiness of the fruit and a bright floral register. Fermentations are conducted solely by indigenous yeasts, without superfluous oenological inputs, in a quest for maximum transparency. Aging then takes place in tanks or neutral containers, far from any wood influence, to keep the freshness and fluidity of the juice intact. The 2024 vintage thus offers a Fleurie of great coherence, both intensely aromatic, precise, and remarkably balanced between density and lightness.
On the palate, Yvon Métras Fleurie 2024 shows a bright ruby robe with cherry reflections, rather light, announcing a style focused on finesse rather than power. The nose opens on a refined bouquet of tangy red fruits, raspberry, redcurrant, Morello cherry, joined by notes of wild strawberry, peony, violet, and a touch of fine herbs. On the palate, the attack is straight, lively, with a crystalline fruit that unfolds on a silky, almost velvety texture, supported by very delicate tannins. The natural freshness of gamay and the mineral framework of the granites give the wine a salivating length, without any heaviness, with a tangy and floral finish that immediately calls for the next sip. Served slightly chilled, it pairs wonderfully with seasonal bistronomic cuisine, roasted poultry, herb-roasted farm chicken, homemade terrine, grilled vegetables, or a platter of fine charcuterie. It is an author’s Fleurie, vibrant, perfectly illustrating the purest and most lively face of Beaujolais.
Grape variety: 100% Gamay
