Bernard Métrat

The Climb

Ownership of Domaine Bernard Metrat & Fils in La Roilette, Fleurie, France, since 1999 has meant more than keeping a name on the gate. In Bernard Metrat’s case, it has meant setting the pace for an estate with a steady hand, where continuity is not treated as inertia but as work done season after season, decision after decision. The discipline here is in keeping the domaine legible while refining it, with each year adding to a method built around attention to the vineyard, the cellar, and the demands of the place itself. The character of the work in Fleurie comes through in restraint and consistency. Bernard Metrat’s approach reads as one that values listening before directing: to the fruit, to the land, and to what the wine asks for in practice. That is a familiar trade stance in a region where identity matters, and it is reflected in a style that avoids overstatement in favor of clarity, continuity, and measured adjustment.

Today

Respect for fruit and its expression remains the governing principle at Domaine Métrat et Fils in Fleurie, Beaujolais, France, where Bernard Metrat continues to run the estate. The method is described in his own words as a process of continual improvement in approach and intervention, but only insofar as the estate’s philosophy stays intact. That places the work in a narrow and demanding lane: refine what can be refined, keep what must be kept, and do not let change flatten identity. The present tense of the domaine is defined by that balance. The aim is not show, but fidelity—to flavor, to place, and to a working style that allows the wines to remain recognizable as they evolve. Bernard Metrat’s own language is plain on the point: “We have chosen respect for the fruit and its expression in the wine, continually improving our approach and our interventions while preserving our own philosophy.” In trade terms, that is a statement of method as much as intent.

Signature

The signature wines associated with Bernard’s name — La Scantaleuse, La Roilette, Morgon Terre d'Alizarine 2023, and La Roilette Cuvée Vieilles Vignes — point to a style built on place and differentiation rather than flourish. La Roilette anchors the list in the domaine’s own ground, while Morgon Terre d'Alizarine 2023 and La Roilette Cuvée Vieilles Vignes suggest the kind of nuance and internal range that come from working with distinct parcels and expressions. The set reads as a practical profile of the house style: grounded, specific, and attentive to nuance.

In Their Words “We have chosen respect for the fruit and its expression in the wine, continually improving our approach and our interventions while preserving our own philosophy.” “Work with passion and tenacity in respect for traditions and nature.”