In Burgundy, Beaujolais produces some of the most renowned fruity light red wines in the world to the point that the sale of Beaujolais Nouveau has become an international event.
This vast southern region of Burgundy consists of vineyards on slopes surrounding the small villages. It is considered as distinct from Burgundy because Beaujolais cultivates different varieties on its granite soils.
Grand Crus and Main appellations in Beaujolais
The generic appellation of AOC Beaujolais produces each year more than 80 million of bottles. AOC Beaujolais-Villages makes each year 45 millions of bottles of superior quality wines.
Beaujolais is home to ten crus, the finest areas of the region, which have their own appellation referring to the name of their town. Juliénas produces acid and tannic wines which develop with age spicy flavors. In the far north of Beaujolais, Saint-Amour wines have sweet notes of ripped fruit. Chénas is making more concentrated and complex wines with a better ageing potential. However, they are less pleasant and fruity.
Moulin-à-Vent produces some of the most interesting vintages thanks to their ageing potential. The cru Fleurie is one of the most elegant and flavoured Beaujolais wines but also one of the most expensive. The elevated vineyards of Chiroubles make a young light and fruity red wine.
Morgon is a vast appellation of 1000 hectares of vines and its schist-granite soil gives a peculiar wine which age well.
The most recent cru is Reigné, a small village which has earned its AOC status thirty years ago.
The southernmost appellations of Beaujolais are Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly which are producing a fruity young wine. Côte de Brouilly has the superior production because its vineyards are situated on the best slopes.
Main grape varieties in Beaujolais
All the Beaujolais wines are made from Gamay. This red variety makes fruity wines with smooth tannins integrated in their notes of cherry and raspberry. Beaujolais use a specific winemaking technique, kind of carbonic maceration, which extracts the fruity flavors and pigment without the tannins. This vinification style confers to the wine their specific notes of kirsch, banana, cinnamon and chewing gum.
Nowadays, Beaujolais Nouveau amounts to half of the total production in the region. This wine is vinified and bottled as early as possible to keep its fruity aroma. This wine is on sale only a few weeks after the harvest.
Some of the best producers in Beaujolais
Château des Jacques, Duboeuf and Paul & Eric Janin are some of the greatest wineries in Beaujolais.
