Young Alex is a volunteer fireman in his spare time, but with a young family and fast-growing domaine, that spare time is increasingly limited. As well as his excellent Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais-Lantignié, Alex now produces a Brouilly from a couple of hectares of rented vines, which he hopes eventually to buy.

His Beaujolais-Lantignié is a particularly fine example of what can be achieved in a commune many believe is destined for cru status. The vines here are Alex’s oldest, at over 50 years old, and lie on rocky (blue granite) soils not dissimilar to those of the Côte du Py, in Morgon.

Alex learnt much from his cousin, top Morgon producer Jean-Marc Burgaud, and makes his wines in a similar way, retaining all the stems and using concrete tanks for vinification and ageing.