THE WINE
From a 50 years old single vineyard owned by late, great Jules Chauvet (see more below). So farmed without any conventional treatments for around 30 years. Fermented and matured in fibreglass and cement.
 
"Du Beur Dans Les Pinards" is a playful French pun. Literally, it translates to "Some Beur in the wine" where "Beur" is French slang for "Arabe", referring to people of North African descent living in France.  "Pinard" is old-fashioned or colloquial French slang for wine, especially everyday table wine.
 
So, figuratively, the title can be interpreted as "A bit of Arab in the wine" — a humorous nod by winemaker Karim Vionnet to his North African heritage and identity within the traditionally French wine world.
 
THE PEOPLE
Karim Vionnet is a prominent natural winemaker based in Beaujolais, France. Born in Lyon to Arabic heritage and adopted by a family in Morgon, he began his wine career working for a decade alongside Beaujolais legends like Guy Breton, Marcel Lapierre, and Jean Foillard. In 2006, he established his own domaine in Villié-Morgon, focusing on organic farming across 5 hectares of 40- to 60-year-old vines. Vionnet employs traditional methods such as carbonic maceration and minimal intervention in the cellar, resulting in wines that are pure expressions of the Gamay grape. His notable cuvées include "Du Beur Dans Les Pinards," a nod to his heritage, and "Beur Blanc," a Chardonnay offering. Vionnet's wines are celebrated for their vibrant fruit profiles, low sulfite content, and embodiment of Beaujolais' terroir.
 
A NOTE ON JULE CHAUVET
Jules Chauvet, a Beaujolais winemaker and chemist active in the mid-20th century, is widely regarded as the godfather of natural wine. His meticulous research into fermentation, carbonic maceration, and the role of yeasts laid the scientific foundation for low-intervention winemaking. Rejecting chemical additives and excessive manipulation, Chauvet championed purity, balance, and the honest expression of terroir. His writings and methods deeply influenced a generation of winemakers—most notably Marcel Lapierre and the broader “Gang of Four”—sparking a quiet revolution in Beaujolais that spread globally. Today, Chauvet’s legacy lives on in the natural wine movement’s commitment to authenticity, minimalism, and respect for the vineyard.
 
THE PLACE
Beaujolais, a picturesque region just south of Burgundy, is best known for its vibrant, fruit-driven wines made from the Gamay grape. While historically associated with the light and often commercialised Beaujolais Nouveau, the region has undergone a renaissance thanks to its pivotal role in the natural wine movement. In the 1980s, inspired by the teachings of Jules Chauvet, a group of pioneering winemakers; Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, Guy Breton, and Jean-Paul Thévenet, began producing wines without synthetic chemicals, using native yeasts and minimal sulfur. Their success put Beaujolais at the heart of the global natural wine scene, proving that honest, terroir-driven wines could be both soulful and serious.