Bret Brothers
Bret Brothers is the négociant project of Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret, who vinify grapes from the crus of Beaujolais and from the Mâconnais in the cellar of Domaine La Soufrandière in Vinzelles. The brothers took over their family's winery in 2000 and founded the brand a year later to buy in grapes beyond their own vineyards as well. They work exclusively with growers who farm organically or biodynamically; harvesting is done by hand. In the cellar, the wines ferment spontaneously with wild yeasts, the Gamay via carbonic maceration, and age in concrete tanks or used oak barrels. Sulphur additions stay minimal.
Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret
In 2000, Jean-Philippe and Jean-Guillaume Bret took over Domaine La Soufrandière in Pouilly-Vinzelles, their family's winery. A year later they founded a négociant house under their own name, buying grapes from growers in the surrounding appellations and vinifying them in their own cellar. The partners work exclusively organically or biodynamically and harvest by hand. The Gamay from the crus of Beaujolais is released under Bret Brothers, the Chardonnay from the Mâconnais under Bret Brothers Mâconnais.
Gamay from the crus of Beaujolais
The red wines come from Fleurie, Juliénas, Saint-Amour and Brouilly, as well as Moulin-à-Vent and Morgon, and carry the name of their climat: Fleurie Climat "Poncié", Juliénas Climat "La Bottière", Saint-Amour Climat "Côte de Besset". The Brouilly Zen comes from the southernmost cru of Beaujolais. Because the 2019 frost destroyed more than half the grapes in the clay-and-limestone plot of Pilonière, the brothers added a second plot on blue schist; together they total 0.7 hectares. The grapes are fully destemmed, ferment via carbonic maceration and age in used barriques, with total sulphur kept below ten milligrams per litre.
Chardonnay from the Mâconnais
The Pouilly-Fuissé Climat "En Carementrant" grows at the foot of the Roche de Vergisson on limestone-and-clay soil, south-facing, at around 350 metres; the vines date from the 1950s and 1960s and are farmed biodynamically. In the village of Igé lie two plots on limestone-rich soil, "En Chanelet" facing west at 230 metres with vines between 40 and 80 years old, and "Les Vernayes" with Chardonnay aged 20 to 30 years. In Verzé stands "Les Perches" on shelly limestone, also at 230 metres, with vines between 40 and 50 years old.
The cellar in Vinzelles
After harvest, the grapes go to the cellar of Domaine La Soufrandière in Vinzelles. The Chardonnay is whole-cluster pressed and ferments spontaneously with wild yeasts, for the climats from Igé and Verzé entirely in barrique and without fining. Ageing continues on fine lees in stainless steel tanks or used wooden barrels, for the Gamay in concrete tanks or used oak barrels, and a small dose of sulphur is added at bottling.