Eloi Gros
Blace, Beaujolais
Vigneron at Le Perreon and Vaux-en-Beaujolais (Beaujolais Villages) and additional sites as of 2025
Organic with minimal treatments
1.8 hectares self-farmed
Native yeast, unfined, unfiltered. No sulfur added.
Also works part time at Yann Bertrand.
Eloi is a young winemaker from Blace, Beaujolais. He comes from a family of winemakers and farmers, who have been working in the trade for 10+ generations. Eloi remains close to his parents, who manage a polyculture organic farm and vineyard under the name of Domaine des Terres Vivantes in Blace, Beaujolais. This has, naturally, been a formative source of knowledge for Eloi. Domaine des Terres Vivantes is a vibrant community hub – they regularly host farmer’s markets, selling both their own produce and the produce of friends, to the local community (see photos from my recent visit below).
Early in his career journey, Eloi befriended and worked with Michel Guignier, who impacted his perspective on natural winemaking. Then, Sylvere Trichard (SELENE) suggested that Eloi hone is craft at Domaine Lapierre. So, in 2019, Eloi began working at Domaine Lapierre, and over time he grew to his former role of vineyard manager and cellar master. In the interest of diversifying his learning and honing his winemaking technique, Eloi has recently began working for Yann bertrand, while also reducing his hours, making more time for his own winemaking.
While working at Lapierre, Eloi leased .9 hectares nearby, about a 15 minute ATV ride from his parents’ farm and winery. The two parcels sit in close proximity, Le Perreon and Vaux-en-Beajulais. Each site produces old vine gamay on steep slopes, ranging from 30-50% grade. For Eloi, it is important that these sites are situated in quiet areas that are also surrounded by forests and other biodiversity. Each site is quiet and scenic, and sits at about 500 m altitude. Since the original lease of .9 hectares, Eloi has since gone on to add a few other plots in the area, which also diversify soil, aspect and sun exposure, and will be included in forthcoming vintages.
Each parcel is being farmed organically and is in the process of official conversion. Treatments are done with copper, as well as essential oils and plant-based preparations.
In terms of vinification, Eloi chooses to keep his method consistent, regardless of the parcel. This renders differences in taste the cause of differences in terroir - geology, exposition, microclimate, yeast flora…
In the cellar, whole bunches go into tanks and are injected with CO2. Vinification is practiced according to the semi-carbonic maceration method. Grapes macerate from 10 to 20 days.
Once maceration is over, grapes are pressed by a vertical press so the grapes can remain in whole bunches until the end of the process. Then, the juices keep fermenting in tanks and are barreled by gravity when only a few grams of sugar remain to be transformed by the yeast. Elevage takes place in 228L and 400L barrels for around 10 months. Wines are racked by gravity and bottled at the beginning of summer. No inputs (except the CO2 at the encuvage) are added to the wines during the vinification and bottling.
As I assume is the case for most, Beaujolais has played a central role in both me and Sam’s journey into wine. As we ventured into Beaujolais in February, in between fairs, and had the chance to meet both Eloi and his family, we came away educated, and inspired. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Eloi, who is someone we think will contribute to, but moreso shape, the future of Beaujolais winemaking. It’s an honor to represent Eloi’s wines and first vintages for the first time in the US.
Note: We want to thank Dave Walery, from Chausse Selections, for the nod and introduction to Eloi’s wines.