Their story

Few estates in France can claim both four centuries of unbroken history and a spirit as modern and alive as Château de Lavernette. Founded in 1596 when the monks of Tournus Abbey cultivated these slopes, the estate passed through generations of the de Boissieu family until it reached Xavier and Kerrie — both trained oenologists who met while studying at Saintsbury in Napa Valley before returning to France. In the 1980s, Xavier's father Bertrand pioneered sustainable farming in Beaujolais. Xavier and Kerrie converted the 13 hectares to certified biodynamic agriculture from 2005, with full Demeter certification in 2010. The estate literally straddles two appellations — Gamay grows on granite slopes for Beaujolais, Chardonnay on limestone parcels reaching into Pouilly-Fuissé. Natural fermentations, minimal intervention, and careful aging in tank or oak bring wines of sincerity, energy, and beautiful site expression.