Sébastien Besson

Sébastien Besson, the fourth generation of Domaine du Penlois, a dedicated winemaking family that has cultivated vines in Beaujolais since 1922. His great-grandfather Benoît planted roots initially in Mâconnais before moving to Chénas. Started from 4.5 hectares in 1929 when Benoît’s brother Paul purchased vineyards in Lancié, and expanded to 13 hectares, eventually reaching 30 hectares today. Sébastien officially joined the domaine in 2012, launching a range of wines under his name in 2017 and modernising the winery infrastructure. Today, his leadership represents a century of knowledge, passed father-to-son, but also combines tradition with modern viticulture.

“I listen and observe in order to always respond to the needs of the vine and the terroir.” – Sébastien Besson.

Sébastien works entirely with organic farming principles, using a combination of manual soil-tillage and controlled grassing to manage moisture and soil structure. The approach encourages biodiversity and soil vitality, replacing synthetic inputs with botanical and mineral biostimulants. Harvested by hand, the grapes are carefully sorted in the vineyard, transported in 350-kg bins and chilled to 10 °C before fermentation—an essential step to preserve freshness.

This methodical attention to vine health is complemented by respect for the terroir. Beaujolais, particularly Chénas, is characterised by soils of granite, schist, and clay. The soil plays a significant role in shaping the style of the wine, concentrated and structured. Combined with Sébastien’s regenerative approach, the expressive Gamay fruit forms the backbone of the estate’s style.

Celebrating Gamay Through Carbonic Maceration

Sébastien produces his wines with the technique of carbonic maceration to differentiate himself from the traditional winemaking style used at the family estate for decades. This is a gentle fermentation method where berries remain largely intact and ferment within the vat. The result is vibrant, approachable wines featuring fresh berry characters—think crunchy redcurrant, raspberry, and subtle spice—without excessive tannic grip.

Sébastien’s wines are vinified with the minimum of added sulphite, often using temperature-controlled stainless steel vats that allow precise expression of Gamay’s varietal charm. The emphasis is on freshness, clarity, and elegance, amplifying the fruit rather than masking it.