Domaine Saint-Cyr is a family winery where the vines are organically cultivated, with complete respect for the environment and without using any fertilisers, herbicides, insecticides or compounds made from chemicals.

Raphaël Saint-Cyr is the fourth generation of the Saint-Cyr family and has been the driving force behind adapting the Domaine to the changing times, modifying the way of working to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. In 1963 his great-grandfather had 13 hectares, which have now become a total of 27, all of which are certified organic vineyards.

The winery has some of the largest organic plots in Beaujolais, with the team working according to the principles of biodynamic agriculture and with minimal intervention. This results in an honest expression of the Gamay variety with a clear personality from the area it grows in.

La Galoche is the main cuvée from the Domaine Saint Cyr, produced from the organically farmed vineyards in the Pierres Dorées (Golden Stone) region surrounding the domaine. Galoche is the name of a small stream near the winery, and is also French teenage slang for making out. It is an iconic wine made by this Domaine that expresses the sought-after Beaujolais qualities and characteristics: concentrated flavours and freshness.

A single-variety Gamay red wine produced in the A.O.C. Beaujolais on clay-limestone soils.

The grapes come from 50 year old vines planted on slopes with clay-calcareous soils in the city of Anse. The plots face southeast, which is perfect for the Domain’s organic cultivation because it helps make the vines less prone to diseases and helps the grapes reach perfect ripeness.

To make the Domaine Saint-Cyr La Galoche wine, the grapes are selected manually and undergo carbonic maceration for about 15 days. Alcoholic fermentation then takes place with native yeasts. The resulting wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then aged for around six months in concrete tanks.

A red wine that offers intense aromas of red fruits like cherries on the nose, accompanied by a subtle mineral nuance. On the palate it is juicy and pleasant. A smooth and tasty Beaujolais!

Decanter – 90 points

Lively and expressive, this Beaujolais cuvée from organically farmed Domaine St Cyr combines concentration with freshness. Think ripe juicy cherries, spicy redcurrants and a taut mouthfeel, giving this wine great length.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate – 88 points

Bursting with scents of plums and raspberries, the 2019 Beaujolais La Galoche Rouge is medium-bodied, supple and succulent, with melting tannins and a delicate core of fruit. It will be at its best young—and slightly chilled.

As I wrote last year, Raphael Saint-Cyr has wholeheartedly embraced the goal of unabashed drinkability, a choice that’s apparent in all of these expressive, immediate wines. Working with minimal sulfur dioxide, this might not be Beaujolais built for the long haul, but since it’s so pleasurable on release, who is complaining? Certainly, Saint-Cyr is a dynamic force in the southern Beaujolais—something that’s sorely needed. His 2019 crus had yet to be bottled, so my reviews focus on his more immediate wines. I also revisited Saint-Cyr’s 2018 crus, finding them consistent with my notes published last year. These wines are still available in the marketplace.