Region: Saint-Amour AOC, Beaujolais, Burgundy, France

Varietal: 100% Gamay

Producer: The Graillot name has meant serious Syrah in the Northern Rhône since Alain Graillot founded his Crozes-Hermitage domaine in 1985 — building it into one of the appellation's most admired estates over the following decades. So when his sons Maxime and Antoine started looking north toward Beaujolais, the wine world paid attention. In 2013, the brothers seized a rare opportunity to acquire five hectares of mature vines on the Côte de Besset, one of Saint-Amour's twelve named climates, and Domaine de Fa was born. The name comes from the stone farmhouse near Tournus where Alain's mother lives — the property that serves as the domaine's home base. It is, in the best possible way, a family affair.

Vineyard & Winemaking: The Côte de Besset sits at the northernmost edge of Saint-Amour, bordering Juliénas, with east-facing slopes rising to 350 meters on steep, stony terrain of decomposed pink granite and granitic sand — some of the highest and most dramatically situated vineyards in the appellation. The vines are certified organic and managed biodynamically, with gobelet training keeping yields naturally low. In the cellar, the Graillots stay true to Beaujolais tradition: 100% whole-cluster fermentation in concrete tanks via semi-carbonic maceration for 7 to 10 days, then aging in large Stockinger foudres and demi-muids. The winery is designed to work entirely by gravity. No filtration before bottling.

Tasting Notes: The 2023 Saint-Amour is vibrant and precise — red cherry, wild strawberry, and crushed violet on the nose, with the pink granite soils contributing a stony, almost electric minerality that sets it apart from fleshier cru expressions. On the palate it is juicy and medium-bodied with silky tannins, a lovely tension between fruit and structure, and a long, fresh finish with a faint spice note at the back. The Graillot signature is unmistakable even in Gamay — dense and chiseled without sacrificing an ounce of charm. This is the kind of wine that reminds you why Saint-Amour earned its cru status in the first place.