The Gang of Four
Beaujolais, France • 1981
The Gang
of Four
How four rebellious winemakers in Morgon defied industrialization, rediscovered ancient wisdom, and sparked a global natural wine revolution
The War on Terroir
By the late 1970s, Beaujolais had become a battlefield. The post-WWII "Green Revolution" had transformed this ancient wine region into an industrial monoculture. Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides were hailed as progress, while traditional farming was dismissed as backward.
The rise of Beaujolais Nouveau—a marketing juggernaut created by Georges Dubœuf—had pushed quantity over quality. Yeast strain 71B infused wines with artificial banana and bubblegum flavors. Indigenous yeasts were killed off. Wines were chaptalized, filtered, and sterilized into submission.
"These fungicides wiped out any vine maladies that could reduce yield and synthetic fertilizers to maintain or boost the quantity of grapes," recalls David Chapel, whose father was friends with the rebels. "Beaujolais succeeded at maximum output, but in turn, the reputation of the region suffered."
The Spiritual Godfather
Jules Chauvet
Before the Gang of Four, there was one man who saw the catastrophe coming—and knew the way back
Born in 1907 in La Chapelle-de-Guinchay, Jules Chauvet was a fourth-generation vigneron, but he was also something far rarer: a scientist-poet. He studied chemistry and microbiology in Lyon, corresponded with Nobel laureate Otto Warburg, and spent time in Berlin laboratories—yet never stopped being a farmer.
By the 1940s, Chauvet was already conducting revolutionary research on spontaneous fermentation, observing malolactic fermentation under microscopes decades before it became fashionable. He championed carbonic maceration not as an industrial shortcut, but as a method to preserve grape purity.
"Chauvet was one of the most refined and perceptive tasters the wine world has ever seen," notes the Association Jules Chauvet. "His tasting notes are still admired for their clarity and depth. To him, low-intervention winemaking wasn't just a philosophical stance. It was a pathway to better-tasting wine."
"Minimal manipulation allows wines to express their true terroir, with flavors shaped by nature rather than by the hand of the winemaker."
— Jules Chauvet, L'esthétique du VinChauvet's laboratory was his cellar. He developed techniques for fermenting without sulfur dioxide, proved that native yeasts could create stable wines, and rejected chaptalization as fraud. General Charles de Gaulle considered his wine the perfect example of light, fragrant Beaujolais and drank it daily.
Chauvet's Commandments
- No synthetic chemicals in vineyard
- Indigenous yeasts only
- No added sulfur (or minimal)
- No chaptalization
- No filtration
- Respect the lunar calendar
Chauvet died in 1989, just as his disciples were gaining international recognition. His work continues through the Association Jules Chauvet.
The Revolutionaries
Four friends from Villié-Morgon who decided the future of wine lay in its past
Marcel Lapierre
The Visionary Leader • 1950-2010
Took over his family's estate in 1973 at age 23. Met Jules Chauvet in 1981—a meeting that changed everything. Systematically removed all chemicals, vinified without SO₂, and used microscopes to track fermentations.
"Marcel was often in Paris knocking on doors and introducing people to his ideas."
Jean Foillard
The Master of Morgon • Since 1980
Took over his father's domaine in 1980 and established his own estate in 1985. Known for the legendary Morgon Côte du Py—a wine that proved Gamay could achieve Burgundian elegance.
"There may be no more consistently fine red wines in all of France than Foillard's."
Jean-Paul Thévenet
The Quiet Pioneer • Since 1976
Took over his family's estate in 1976. His first successful natural vintage was 1985—years of experimentation with the Gang. Known as "Polpo" to friends.
"The Thévenets' plush, mouth-filling Morgon is a testament to their status as pioneers."
Guy Breton
"P'tit Max" • Since 1986
Known as "P'tit Max" to friends, Guy took over his grandfather's estate in 1986. He now farms just 4 hectares of mostly century-old vines.
"Max crafts wines he likes to drink: bright, aromatic, low in tannin."
The Gang of Four Manifesto
Old Vines Only
Start with ancient vines (50-100+ years) that have deep roots and natural resistance.
Zero Chemicals
No synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers—ever. Organic farming as baseline.
Late Harvesting
Wait for true phenolic ripeness, not just sugar. Patience over productivity.
Rigorous Sorting
Hand-harvest and inspect every bunch. Remove all but the healthiest grapes.
Native Yeasts
No commercial yeasts. Let the vineyard's microbiome guide fermentation.
No Additives
Minimal or zero sulfur. No chaptalization. No filtration. No "cosmetic surgery."
"The end result allows Morgon to express itself naturally, without make-up or plastic surgery: rustic, spicy, loaded with schist minerals and at the same time, refreshing and deep-down delicious."
— Kermit Lynch Wine MerchantTimeline of Revolution
Birth of the Prophet
Jules Chauvet born in La Chapelle-de-Guinchay, Beaujolais.
The Industrial Dark Ages
Post-WWII chemical farming takes over. Beaujolais Nouveau marketing juggernaut begins. Quality plummets.
Marcel Takes the Helm
Marcel Lapierre (age 23) takes over family estate. Continues conventional farming—for now.
The Fateful Meeting
Marcel Lapierre meets Jules Chauvet. The conversion begins. "His path would be forever changed."
The Gang Forms
Foillard, Thévenet, and Breton join Lapierre. Late nights of tasting, discussion, and shared conviction. First natural vintages.
Kermit Lynch Discovers the Gang
American importer Kermit Lynch tastes Lapierre's 1989, coins "Gang of Four." US market opens.
Chauvet Passes
Jules Chauvet dies, but his disciples carry the torch. His ideas begin spreading globally.
Marcel's Farewell
Marcel Lapierre dies after the harvest—a poetic end. Mathieu and Camille Lapierre take over, introduce biodynamics.
The Revolution Triumphant
300+ estates in Beaujolais now organic or converting. Natural wine is global. The Gang's vision is mainstream.
"Gang of Four"
The name itself was a marketing invention—and the winemakers never called themselves that. American importer Kermit Lynch coined the term in the early 1990s as a way to sell these radical wines to skeptical buyers. It stuck.
"Like all good stories, there's more than an element of myth-making to this account of what was widely seen as the start of Beaujolais's natural wine movement."
— Natasha Hughes MW, World of Fine WineOthers worked alongside them—Joseph Chamonard, Yvon Métras, Georges Descombes—but the Gang of Four became the symbol of resistance.
From Morgon to the World
France
The natural wine movement spread to the Loire Valley, Jura, and beyond. Parisian wine bars like Le Barav became temples of natural wine. Today, 150+ Beaujolais estates are organic or converting.
Italy
Emilia-Romagna and Friuli became hotbeds. Producers like Podere Pradarolo embraced skin-contact whites (orange wines). The Italian natural wine scene now rivals France's.
Global
From Tokyo to New York, natural wine bars proliferate. The Raisin app maps thousands of natural wine producers worldwide. The Gang's philosophy is now a global standard.
The New Generation
- Mathieu & Camille Lapierre — Biodynamic pioneers
- Charly Thévenet — Expanded to Régnié
- Agnès Foillard — Continues Jean's legacy
- Julie Balagny — New wave naturalist
The Legacy in Numbers
Tasting the Revolution
What do natural Beaujolais wines actually taste like? Nothing like the banana-candy Nouveau that defined the region in the 1980s.
Morgon Côte du Py
From decomposed granite and schist. Dark, structured, capable of aging 10-20 years. Notes of black cherry, graphite, and violet.
Morgon Les Charmes
Guy Breton's signature. Light, aromatic, dangerously drinkable. Red berries, white pepper, and crushed roses.
Morgon Vieilles Vignes
From 80-100+ year old vines. Concentrated, profound, earthy. Thévenet's version shows haunting perfume and silky texture.
Régnié
Charly Thévenet's expansion. Spicy, granitic, from 50-60 year old vines. A testament to the movement's expansion beyond Morgon.
The Enduring Legacy
The Gang of Four didn't just change Beaujolais—they redefined what wine could be. They proved that "natural" didn't mean "faulty," that organic farming could produce wines of profound complexity, and that Gamay deserved a place among the world's noble grapes.
Today, when you drink a glass of natural wine—whether from Beaujolais, the Loire, or California—you're tasting the legacy of four friends who refused to accept that wine had to be a chemical product. You're tasting the vision of Jules Chauvet, the courage of Marcel Lapierre, and the friendship that changed an industry forever.
"What began as a small revolt in Beaujolais has become a global movement that transformed not only production methods, but the way we understand wine."
