2020 Yvon Métras 'Fleurie Vieilles Vignes' Gamay Noir

Although commonly regarded as the finest living vigneron in Beaujolais, Yvon Métras remains surprisingly elusive, and much less visible than contemporaries like Foillard, Lapierre, or Breton. His wines rarely leave Europe, and when they do they are fiercely allocated. An enigmatic figure who famously refused to export to the US (too much paperwork), and keeps the finer details of his winemaking closely under wraps, Métras nonetheless casts a long shadow over modern wine.

Métras began making wine under his own name in the late 1980s, after years at a nearby cooperative and mentorship from Jules Chauvet, the so-called ‘Godfather of Natural Wine’. Inspired by Chauvet and peers like Lapierre, he embraced traditional, non-interventionist methods at a time when high-volume, industrial practices dominated Beaujolais. Semi-carbonic fermentation with whole bunches, native yeasts, gentle élevage, and minimal sulphur are hallmarks of his approach, producing age-worthy, profound wines that helped rehabilitate the reputation of Beaujolais.

His vineyards include some of the oldest in Fleurie, with plantings stretching back to the late 19th century, all worked by hand. In 2014 his son Jules joined him full time. The wines themselves are laser-precise, balancing extraordinary concentration with a lightness and clarity that feels almost unexplainable. While unmistakably Gamay from Beaujolais, they're also idiosyncratic and singular, and unmistakably Métras.

We're thrilled to have sourced three vintages of his Fleurie 'Vieliles Vignes' - 2017, 2019 and 2020, here in New Zealand for the first time ever! For those with an interest in Beaujolais, or just very, very good wine, this is a rare chance to check out the work of an elusive master.

2020 Fleurie 'Vieliles Vignes'

The 2020 vintage in Beaujolais was excellent, often described as a "vintage of the decade". Sourced from the La Madonne and Grille-Midi vineyards, including Métras’ 128-year-old Gamay vines. The nose is fresh and intense, showing red cherry, raspberry and cranberry with violet and peony floral notes. The palate is supple and finely detailed, with juicy red berries, macerated strawberry, spice and salty minerality. Open and expressive, develops further in glass or with decanting. Very approachable now, with the structure to age to 2030.