Jean Max
In Charnay, at the southernmost tip of Beaujolais, the vigneron Jean Max works in the name of sustainability to interpret his terroir in a pure way. After studying oenology in Burgundy, Maxime Barrot, aka Jean Max, decided to move to the other side of the world, to Chile, where he was introduced to the world of artisanal production by Roberto Henriquez. Roberto was in turn influenced by Antoine Luyt, who was a student of Marcel Lapierre, a producer belonging to the so-called "gang of four", among the top artisanal enhancers of the territory and pioneers of a Beaujolais far from the standards of simple nouveau wines. Upon returning home, Maxime began working with the Bret Brothers, artisanal producers from Mâconnais, and with Yvon Métras, another legendary figure from Beaujolais, while simultaneously starting his own personal project. The first bottles were labeled as "Vin de France" as they were vinified in the nearby Rhône within the cellar of his friend Eric Texier, another well-known name in the world of artisanal wines.
Jean Max cultivates just over 3 hectares of vineyards mainly dedicated to Gamay, the principal variety of the Beaujolais territory, with a smaller percentage of Chardonnay as a complement. The plants, some of which are very old, are rooted in clay-limestone and granitic soils and are managed according to the principles of organic and biodynamic agriculture with very low yields per hectare. In particular, Jean's agronomic vision aims at developing humus in the soil and strengthening the rooting of the vines in order to counteract those drought phenomena that have become increasingly extreme due to climate change. The harvest is done by hand in 15-kilo crates, thus respecting the integrity of the bunches, which are then vinified through spontaneous alcoholic fermentation and prolonged carbonic macerations. The subsequent maturation phase takes place in wooden barrels and the wines are finally bottled with a very small amount of added sulfites.
The Beaujolais from producer Jean Max stand out for their juicy and dynamic taste, emblematic of the type. The symbol of the Domaine is the hare, used to improve the performance of dogs in races, pushing them to move forward, just as Jean wants to carry forward the movement of artisanal wines from Beaujolais.
In Charnay, at the southernmost tip of Beaujolais, the vigneron Jean Max works in the name of sustainability to interpret his terroir in a pure way. After studying oenology in Burgundy, Maxime Barrot, aka Jean Max, decided to move to the other side of the world, to Chile, where he was introduced to the world of artisanal production by Roberto Henriquez. Roberto was in turn influenced by Antoine Luyt, who was a student of Marcel Lapierre, a producer belonging to the so-called "gang of four", among the top artisanal enhancers of the territory and pioneers of a Beaujolais far from the standards of simple nouveau wines. Upon returning home, Maxime began working with the Bret Brothers, artisanal producers from Mâconnais, and with Yvon Métras, another legendary figure from Beaujolais, while simultaneously starting his own personal project. The first bottles were labeled as "Vin de France" as they were vinified in the nearby Rhône within the cellar of his friend Eric Texier, another well-known name in the world of artisanal wines.
Jean Max cultivates just over 3 hectares of vineyards mainly dedicated to Gamay, the principal variety of the Beaujolais territory, with a smaller percentage of Chardonnay as a complement. The plants, some of which are very old, are rooted in clay-limestone and granitic soils and are managed according to the principles of organic and biodynamic agriculture with very low yields per hectare. In particular, Jean's agronomic vision aims at developing humus in the soil and strengthening the rooting of the vines in order to counteract those drought phenomena that have become increasingly extreme due to climate change. The harvest is done by hand in 15-kilo crates, thus respecting the integrity of the bunches, which are then vinified through spontaneous alcoholic fermentation and prolonged carbonic macerations. The subsequent maturation phase takes place in wooden barrels and the wines are finally bottled with a very small amount of added sulfites.
The Beaujolais from producer Jean Max stand out for their juicy and dynamic taste, emblematic of the type. The symbol of the Domaine is the hare, used to improve the performance of dogs in races, pushing them to move forward, just as Jean wants to carry forward the movement of artisanal wines from Beaujolais.
