Vinos a la venta: Brice Grizonnet

Following in Julie Balagny’s footsteps, Brice Grizonnet crafts artisanal, floral and vibrant Fleurie wines, notably from the remarkable terroir of En Remont.

Brice Grizonnet, nicknamed ‘Dr Briçou’, took over Julie Balagny’s vineyards and winery following the winemaker’s passing in spring 2023. Having been at her side since 2019, he now continues the artisanal approach in the Romanèche-Thorins area, at the heart of Fleurie. A long-term lease of a En Remont plot, three hectares set on the upper slopes of the appellation and surrounded by woodland, is at the heart of his work. The vines, Guyot-trained on steep slopes, sink their roots into a complex blend of granite, basalt and quartz. Some are up to a hundred years old.
Brice works the soils and tends the vines by hand, following an organic approach, and crafts the wines in Julie Balagny’s former home. Staying true to the techniques he learned from her, he favours the classic Beaujolais method of carbonic maceration, a slow pressing in the old press, then maturation in the cellar. Its first vintages set the tone for Fleurie wines with bright, floral, delicate fruit, yet structured by the granitic freshness of the terroir. A new chapter opens in Fleurie, in keeping with the place and its distinctive nature.