Stéphane Aviron, Chénas (Burgundy, France) 2016

 Stéphane Aviron makes wines from many of the crus of Beaujolais, the ten villages that have the potential to produce distinctive wines that stand apart from those labeled Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages.  (Indeed, wines from these villages rarely put Beaujolais on the label.)   One of the things I love about his wines is their “transparency,” which is to say, the possibility of “seeing through” the grape variety he uses to the place where he grows them.  Take this Chénas, the smallest of the 10 crus, for example.  Characteristic of the wines from that village, it’s meaty and bold with an ever so slightly charming rustic texture.  It’s an excellent choice for a hearty slow-simmered stew.