Pierre Cotton

Beaujolais

Pierre Cotton's family has been farming and producing wine at the same chai in Odenas since 1856. Legend has it that the large chai with its cavernous cellars was built in the 18th century to make the wines for the nearby Chateau de Pierreux, and over the years it has housed a rotating group of producers.

Today, Pierre and his partner Marine are the sole producers to make wine here. After working for a short stint as a motorcycle mechanic, Pierre spent two years in the Loire Valley before returning to the domaine. In 2014, he reclaimed 1 hectare of Côte de Brouilly for his first cuvée - 100% Cotton. Over the next few years, he reclaimed another 2 hectares around Brouilly from the family holdings, purchased 1 hectare in Fleurie, 1 hectare of Regnié, and 1 hectare of Beaujolais, and planted a small patch of Beaujolais Blanc on a unique vein of limestone near the domaine.

Inspired by tasting wines with compatriot friends Yann Bertrand, Jules Metras, and Keke Descombes, Pierre’s wines are all farmed organically and made without any sulfur. Vinification is semi-carbonic in large cement tanks, and then the wines are aged for 8-9 months in old foudres that range in size from 14 to 42 hectoliters.

In 2020, Pierre's partner Marine Bonnet officially joined the domaine. Marine has a background as an agronomist specialized in viticulture, and Pierre and Marine now manage the vineyards and winemaking together.