Régnié was upgraded to full Cru Beaujolais status in December 1998. The Dufour family are based here but with vineyards in Brouilly as well. They make juicy vibrant wines from both villages, which are wonderfully attractive when young, but (judging from some older vintages tasted in their cellars) also age rather well. Their oaked Cuvée Tradition has a delicious extra roundness and weight to it, without losing any of the delicate flavours that one would expect from a 100% Gamay.

Auxey-Duresses is another of the small communes of the Côte de Beaune which is deservedly undergoing something of an image transformation. At the same time, Michel Dupont-Fähn's wines are becoming more and more enthusiastically received and there is an instant recognition of quality by wine enthusiasts everywhere. His reds ripen fast and have an unmistakable Pinot Noir breeding.

An out and out winner. "Monthélie's wines, especially the Premiers Crus are probably the most underrated in Burgundy." (Tom Stevenson, The New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia) "It's light colour belies a meaty, smoky nose. Great perfume, good structure and a lovely long sweet finish." (Restaurant Magazine, February 2003)

Jean-Louis' style of wine making and his ability to bring out the best from Pinot Noir show him to be a rare and gifted virtuoso, who proudly heads up this long establishd 12 ha domaine of which 4.5ha are in Grand Cru or Premier Cru climates. " Now one of the super-stars of the commune." (Clive Coates)