Ep 377: The Wines of Beaujolais and its Ten Divine Cru
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Beaujolais is a unique, standalone wine region in central eastern France. Sandwiched between southern Burgundy (the M\\xe2connais) and Lyon (where it is their preferred wine), these wines and this terroir is like no other on earth. With high elevation from the western Massif Central, east and south-facing slopes, these wines get ripe over a long growing season with good diurnals. The unique pink granite and weathered granite sand, along with mineral rich soils of the northern section of Beaujolais, aren\\u2019t something you\\u2019ll easily find elsewhere in the wine world. In addition, nowhere else in the world specializes in the Gamay grape.
Source: www.beaujolais.com
This grape\\u2019s expression in the 10 Crus of Beaujolais \\u2013 whether it be like iris and violets, tart cherry, blackberry, mineral or intense spice \\u2013 is always surprising and refreshing due to the high acidity of the wines. The quality for price can\\u2019t be beat and as producers embrace traditional vinification rather than carbonic maceration (used in Beaujolais nouveau, which is declining) the wines continue to improve and show what Gamay and the Beaujolais region are capable of. We give you all the details you need to seek out these splendid, undervalued gems.
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There are 12 Appellations in Beaujolais: 10 Cru and 2 regional appellations
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Beaujolais/Beaujolais Superi\\xe9ur are regional appellations. These wines are mainly (99%) red of Gamay. They are required to have a minimum of 10% alcohol (not very ripe!) and are generally made via semi-carbonic maceration. These wines can be red or ros\\xe9. The reds taste like red grapes, cranberry, cherry, banana, candied pear, and are light in color, light in tannin and high in acidity. 1% of Beaujolais AOC wines are simple whites of Chardonnay.
Added designations:
- Superi\\xe9ur: The wines have lower yields, and 0.5% more alcohol. You can only use this designation for reds.
- 30 specific village names can be added to the Beaujolais AOC or Beaujolais Superieur
- Nouveau/Primeur: released the third Thursday of November, made through carbonic maceration, these wines
represent 2/3 of the Beaujolais AOC. All are hand harvested to keep the whole grapes for carbonic maceration
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Beaujolais Villages are from 38 specific villages that are deemed
extremely high quality and can also be red or ros\\xe9 although they are mainly red.\\xa0 These reds are darker in color and less grapey than basic Beaujolais. They have red and black berry, mineral, and spice notes, with more tannin and strong acidity. \\xa0Some of these wines are made without carbonic maceration and are more serious wines with complexity, although Villages can be sold as Nouveau as well.\\xa0
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Beaujolais Villages Blanc are 100% Chardonnay and are concentrated in flavor, similar to the wines of M\\xe2connais.\\xa0
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Crus: The 10 best of Beaujolais
All wine is 100% Gamay. The pruning methods, vine density and yields are specified by commune. All grapes for the Crus are hand-harvested, most of it is hand-sorted. The best of these wines are transitioning from carbonic maceration to traditional red wine fermentation. The minimum required minimum alcohol is 10%. Although \\u201cCru de Beaujolais\\u201d must be somewhere on the label, it is generally in very small print, so you need to know the names of the Crus to find them!
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The Crus also have special vineyard sites, or climats, which you will see on the bottle and should seek out. Because so few people are familiar with these wines, they are incredibly affordable, with great examples costing less than US$30!
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From north to south, as we discuss in the show, the Crus are: Saint-Amour, Juli\\xe9nas, Ch\\xe9nas, Moulin-\\xe1-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, R\\xe9gn\\xede, C\\xf4te de Brouilly, Brouilly
Source: www.discoverbeaujolais.com
In groups by style, here are the descriptions of each\\u2026
Light -Medium Bodied: Chiroubles
These wines are floral, with iris, violet, and peony notes. They also have red berry and baking spice aromas and flavors with a light body and the famed \\u201cGlisser en bouche\\u201d \\u2013 glides down the throat \\u2013 quality. These wines ages 2 to 5 years.
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Medium-Bodied
Saint -Amour is made in two styles.
- Style 1: Light, fruity, grapey, peachy, and like violets/flowers. Acidic and should be consumed within a year or two of vintage.
- Style 2: Medium-bodied, slightly tannic, with sour cherry, ginger, baking spice and a savory, earthy quality that is like Pinot Noir with age. The best can age 10 years.
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Fleurie is elegant and silky with iris, violet, rose, red fruit, and peach aromas and flavors. Fleurie wines can be soft or more substantial with dark fruit notes. They can age up to 5 years
Source: www.beaujolais.com
Brouilly is fruit-driven with plum, red berry, cherry notes and sometimes mineral notes. They are have softer tannins and can age 3 to 5 years.
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Medium- to full-bodied:
Cote de Brouilly is sourced from the high-altitude areas within Brouilly. The wines are more robust in body with blackberry, plum, fresh grape, iris flower, and black pepper notes. They have strong acidity and mild tannin. They taste better after 4 to 6 years.
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Juli\\xe9nas is highly aromatic with sweet and tart red berry, violet/dark flower, cinnamon, peach notes, and a mineral earthiness. They have great acidity and can age 6 to 10 years.
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Full-bodied:
Chen\\xe1s is floral with peony and rose aromas. It has a special spicy, woodsy quality, regardless of whether it has been in a barrel. Ch\\xe9nas has some tannin and is ageworthy \\u2013 it can age 8 to 10 years.
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Moulin-a-Vent is the King of Beaujolais; the pinnacle of the region. When it\\u2019s young, it\\u2019s like violets, cherries, and plums with a mineral, earth note. With age (the wines improve over 10 or more years), these wines become more like Pinot Noir - Indian spice, sandalwood, and earth. \\xa0They are balanced with good tannin and acidity.
Source: www.beaujolais.com
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Morgon is the longest lived of the Cru, with aging potential of 5 to 20 years. These wines are full-bodied and powerful with black cherry, peach, plum, and violet. Their tannin, flavor, and acidity allow them to evolve and with time, get earthier (like truffles) and spicy (like licorice or mellow spice), and the texture is velvety. \\u201cMorgonner\\u201d, or to \\u201cMorgon\\u201d is a local word that describes how these wines evolve.
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R\\xe9gn\\xede is full-bodied but not as ageworthy as the others in this category. The wines taste like tart cherry, raspberry, red currant, plum, blackcurrant, blackberry aromas. Acidic, mineral, spice, some tannin
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Food for heavier styles:\\xa0 Steak, mushroom-based dishes, eggplant-based dishes with herbs and pepper, strong cheeses, pizza with meat toppings, tuna, salmon, lentils, black bean burgers, and anything with garlic.
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Food for medium to light styles: \\xa0Brie, anything with garlic, salmon, cod with garlic based sauces, turkey burgers with savory notes, dishes with scallion/onion as a main flavor, Thanksgiving fare, bacon dishes, pork with fruit glazes (fruitier wines).
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If you have not tried these splendid Cru, go out and get the one that sounds the best to you immediately. These are wines to discover. Once you do, you\\u2019ll drink them forever!
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