It is no surprise that Château Thivin is the benchmark domaine of the Côte de Brouilly; everything about it is exceptional. Built in the fifteenth century on an ancient volcano which juts out steeply into the valley below, Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly. Even more important, however, is its tremendous success since farmer Zaccharie Geoffray purchased the château with its two hectares of land at auction in 1877. His son Claude expanded the property over the next few decades, and his son, also named Claude, boosted the prestige of the zone in the face of the Great Depression when he played a pivotal role in the creation of the Côte de Brouilly appellation. With his wife Yvonne, he also helped to bring greater recognition to the entire region with the establishment of the Maison du Beaujolais in 1953. Over the years the family continued to promote the appellation, receiving many influential artists and journalists at the château. The French novelist, Colette, wrote admiringly of her visit to Thivin, for example. In 1976, Richard Olney took Kermit to visit on their first wine trip together. It was Olney's top recommendation in the whole of the Beaujolais region. The current generation of the Geoffray family continues their tradition. Today their grandnephew Claude, his wife Evelyne, and their son Claude-Edouard continue the tradition as staunch and proud defenders of the terroir of the Côte de Brouilly.
James Suckling 96 "Time seems to stop when you smell the ravishing violets and summer flowers offered by this great Cte de Brouilly. Breathtaking harmony and
James Suckling 92 “Very youthful and elegant for the warm vintage, with delicate aromas that range from wild strawberries to violets. Lovely juiciness on the medium-bodied
Wine Advocate 93+ "Bottled a mere week before I tasted it, Thivin's 2019 Cte de Brouilly unwinds in the glass with inviting aromas of plums, red
Wine Advocate 93 "The 2020 Côte de Brouilly is already very expressive, bursting with aromas of ripe berry fruit, plums and cherries mingled with hints of
Wine Advocate 93+ "Bottled a mere week before I tasted it, Thivin's 2019 Cte de Brouilly unwinds in the glass with inviting aromas of plums, red
Wine Advocate 93+ "Bottled a mere week before I tasted it, Thivin's 2019 Cte de Brouilly unwinds in the glass with inviting aromas of plums, red
Wine Advocate 93 "The 2019 Brouilly Reverdon is performing well, mingling aromas of cherries and berries with hints of spices and loamy soil in an appealing
Wine Advocate 93 The 2018 Côte de Brouilly is still a little closed after its recent bottling, but it's a promising wine in the making, unwinding
Vinous 92 "Deep, bright-hued violet. Fresh dark berries, candied flowers, allspice and a hint of blood orange on the expansive nose. Sappy and appealingly sweet, offering
Wine Advocate 93 The 2018 Côte de Brouilly is still a little closed after its recent bottling, but it's a promising wine in the making, unwinding
Vinous 90 "Shimmering onion skin. Lively, mineral- and spice-inflected red berry and floral scents, along with a subtle herbal element that builds with air. Dry and
Wine Advocate 93 "The 2018 Côte de Brouilly is still a little closed after its recent bottling, but it's a promising wine in the
Wine Advocate 94 The 2017 Côte de Brouilly is superb, unfurling in the glass with aromas of ripe cassis, candied violets and plums. On the palate,
Delicate fresh fruit aromas and light, tart flavours make this a harmonious and delicate wine for summer drinking. It's great right through an al fresco
James Suckling 94 Stunning, concentrated black cherries and plenty of the characteristic acidity of the vintage, both seamlessly interwoven with the gentle tannins and the minerality
James Suckling 94 Stunning, concentrated black cherries and plenty of the characteristic acidity of the vintage, both seamlessly interwoven with the gentle tannins and the minerality
Wine Advocate 93 "The 2017 Brouilly Reverdon bursts from the glass with lovely aromas of blackberries, cassis, plums and potpourri. On the palate, the wine is
A ripe, expressive Brouilly with wonderful sweet fruit expression - ripe cherry, figs, savory herbs and dried flowers. Intense, firm tannin structure and very long
A ripe, expressive Brouilly with wonderful sweet fruit expression - ripe cherry, figs, savory herbs and dried flowers. Intense, firm tannin structure and very long
The emblem of the Geoffray family: with complex flavors of iris and peony, bluish-red in color, with a long mouth of spicy tannins. As the
Wine Advocate 94 "Bottled 3 weeks prior to my visit, the 2015 Côte de Brouilly was very closed on the nose though you can tell that
Wine Advocate 93 "I might have under-estimated the 2014 Côte de Brouilly when I tasted a barrel sample last year. Here, it is a little more
Wine Advocate 93 "I might have under-estimated the 2014 Côte de Brouilly when I tasted a barrel sample last year. Here, it is a little more
Wine Advocate 88 "Thivin's 2008 Brouilly had already been assembled when I tasted it, and displayed mouth-watering strawberry fruit tinged with salt and a delicacy,
Wine Advocate 89 "Lift, clarity, florality; pure, at times almost ethereal, but bitter-edged fruit; and strong, stony mineral notes characterized the best lots of 2008 raw
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