La Soufrandière – and their négoce arm, Bret Brothers – has long been a reference for quality farming within the Mâconnais.

All of their holdings are Demeter certified and, regardless if the wine is from the Domaine or Bret Brothers, everything is hand harvested. Their drive has also spilled into the cellar: as of 2016, they’ve pushed what's happening in the winery with a set of wines labeled ‘Zen’: cuvées that see zero sulfur during the winemaking process and low-to-no sulfur at bottling (10 to 20mg/liter maximum).

This evolution, along with the reds coming from their holdings in Beaujolais, is another reason to be checking in with the two brothers.

The most recent changes are in line with their decades-long work in organic and biodynamic vineyards. With the newest set of wines having recently arrived (including a very exclusive pet-nat), we’re diving into these bottlings.

  

RE. 2022:

The brothers' (Jean-Guillaume and Jean-Philippe) estate largely survived the vintage's devastating early summer hail in Burgundy and Beaujolais, an advantage they attribute in part to the resilience their vineyards gain from biodynamic farming. It was also a hot vintage (a summer they describe as "interminable"), harvested early – so the cellar work was focused on preserving freshness as much as possible. The result is a rich but energetic lineup: balance + pleasure.

START HERE: BRET NAT!

You heard it here first: the brothers have released a first-ever pet nat, from estate + négoce fruit. Energetic-but-serious Chardonnay that's pressed, cold settled, fermented in bottle; then disgorged last spring. Delicate, green-fruited, and just really pretty. $40

ZEN FROM MÂCON:

2022 Aligoté 'Aligato' Zen, Burgundy $65
Last vintage, the brothers started bottling a small amount of Aligoté, from a parcel they acquired in 2016. Ultra crispy with just a little extra touch of fat from the vintage.

2022 Pouilly-Vinzelles 'Zen,' Maconnais $69
Next to (750 ha) Pouilly-Fuissé is Pouilly-Vinzelles, a tiny (50 ha!) appellation where the brothers feel they have some of their most unique terroir. This bottling is from their youngest vines in climat ‘Les Quarts,’ an ideal southeast facing parcel in the middle of a clay and limestone slope. A really pretty wine, a little more tightly wound than some of the other Mâcon cuvées here.

2022 Saint-Veran Climat 'La Bonnode' Zen, Maconnais $71
From ‘La Bonnode,’ a relatively isolated single parcel with a view (straight across the Saône Valley, looking at Mont Blanc!). Dense, beautiful Chardonnay.

2022 Saint-Veran Climat 'La Bonnode Oviode' Zen, Maconnais $90
A variation of ‘La Bonnode,’ fermented in cement ovoid tank. After a year in cement, it’s rested on the lees in stainless steel and bottled with no filtration. It’s a method they’ve expanded vintage to vintage, favoring the extremely elegant and lacey style it produces, even in a warm Mâcon vintage. Magnum, $150

2022 Pouilly-Fuisse Climat en Chatenay 'Zen' Maconnais $94
From ‘Chatenay,’ and old vine plot with Jurassic red soils. Especially structured and mineral, balanced with acid-driven tension.
There's a drop of ‘21 left, too $90

ZEN FROM BEAUJOLAIS:

2022 Bret Brothers Beaujolais-Lantignie 'Glous des Bret' Zen $36
Just next to Cru Régnié is Lantignié, essentially an unofficial Cru we’re seeing several talented producers expanding to. It’s especially mountainous, with classic pink granite soils; so the 100% whole cluster approach to this cuvée is really punched up with refreshing mountain freshness. Such a cool value for Beaujolais these days!

2022 Bret Brothers Fleurie Climat 'Les Poncies' Zen, Beaujolais $53
From lieu-dit ‘Poncié,’ on a hilltop overlooking the rest of Cru Fleurie. Ten days of 100% whole cluster carbonic maceration is followed by aging in used Burgundy barrels. It’s especially zippy and serious, studded with licorice and purple flowers.

2022 Bret Brothers Saint-Amour Climat 'Côte de Besset' Zen, Beaujolais $56
A new cuvée this vintage, from lieu-dit ‘Côte de Besset’ in cru Saint-Amour. It’s a northeast facing site of primarily blue sandstone, for a more delicate and aromatically expressive style of Beaujolais. Eight days of whole cluster fermentation and aged in used barrel. Complex, fun, stunning! Magnum, $120

MORE FROM THE BROTHERS:

The 2022 release includes several not-zen-but-still-very-noteworthy Mâcon bottlings, from climat 'Les Crays' and again, 'La Bonnode;' and a really lovely $45 Mâcon-Villages. And! There's a smattering of 2021s hanging around : )

SHOP ALL SOUFRANDIÈRE