Karim Vionnet knows a thing or two about the school of hard knocks.  Raised in a modest adoptive family in the village of Villié-Morgon, at the heart of the Beaujolais, Karim was 10 when he started working in local vineyards to earn a bit of extra money.  Fast forward a few decades and dive into the juicy, explosive, fruit-forward wines he makes on the domaine that he now runs with his daughter Noémie.

It was after time in the army, then as a baker, that Karim knew his calling was truly back in the vineyards and the cellar.  His childhood friend, Beaujolais producer Christophe Pacalet, happened to have a certain Marcel Lapierre as an uncle.  This opened doors to vignerons that wine writer Kermit Lynch famously dubbed ‘the gang of four,’ also including Jean Foillard, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Guy ‘P’tit Max’ Breton.  It was with Breton that Karim worked and trained for many years before striking out on his own in 2006, making wines in the free-thinking, non-interventionist, and environmentally respectful spirit of his illustrious mentors.  

Karim’s wines embody a sense of celebration in overcoming adversity.  From his lack of family connections in the wine business (making the acquisition of parcels especially difficult) to his North African heritage (which he now celebrates on his Tolmer-designed labels), Karim had to persevere as an outsider in this often-hermetic world.  From his own 5 hectares, and with grapes sourced from local producers, he has risen to the challenge, producing a range of Beaujolais Villages as well as Chrioubles, Chénas, and Fleurie Crus.  His wines are sought-after around the world and all it takes is a glass to understand why he is widely seen as being at the helm of a new generation of magicians of the Gamay.   

On Instagram: @domaine_karimvionnet