Beaujolais
Wine region | |
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Type | Appellation d'origine contrôlée |
---|---|
Year established | 1936 |
Country | France |
Part of | Burgundy 46°09′N 4°39′E / 46.15°N 4.65°E |
Soil conditions | Granite, schist, clay and sandstone |
Total area | 10,500 ha |
Grapes produced | Gamay with a little Pinot noir (and the local variation of Pinot Liébault), Chardonnay, Aligoté, Pinot gris (known locally as Pinot Beurot), Pinot blanc and Melon de Bourgogne |
Wine produced | Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages, cru Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau |
Beaujolais (
The wine takes its name from the historical
History
The region of Beaujolais was first cultivated by the
In the 1980s, Beaujolais hit a peak of popularity in the world's wine market with its Beaujolais nouveau wine. Spurred on by the creative marketing from wine merchants such as Georges Duboeuf, demand outpaced supply for the easy-drinking, fruity wines. As more Beaujolais producers tried to capitalize on the "Nouveau craze", production of regular Beaujolais dropped and an eventual backlash occurred in the late 1990s and early 21st century. By this point, the whole of Beaujolais wine had developed a negative reputation among consumers who associated Gamay based wines with the slightly sweet, simple light bodied wines that characterized Beaujolais Nouveau. Producers were left with a wine surplus that French authorities compelled them to reduce through mandatory distillation. In response, there has been renewed emphasis on the production of more complex wines that are aged longer in oak barrels prior to release. Recent years have seen a rise in the number of terroir driven estate-bottled wines made from single vineyards or in one of the Cru Beaujolais communes, where the name of the commune is allowed to be displayed on the label.[1]
Gamay grape
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/16th-century_unknown_painters_-_Philip_the_Bold_-_WGA23677.jpg/220px-16th-century_unknown_painters_-_Philip_the_Bold_-_WGA23677.jpg)
Gamay noir is now known to be a cross of
Scandals
Following the 2001 vintage, over 1.1 million cases of Beaujolais wine (most of it Beaujolais Nouveau) had to be destroyed or distilled due to lackluster sales as part of a consumer backlash against the popularity of Beaujolais Nouveau. French wine critic
Rather than sue for
In 2005, the Vins Georges Duboeuf company was charged with mixing low-grade wine with better vintages after a patchy 2004 harvest.[5] Georges Duboeuf denied wrongdoing, blaming human error and pointing out that none of the affected wine was released to consumers.[5] The production manager directly responsible admitted his actions and resigned, and a court found that both "fraud and attempted fraud concerning the origin and quality of wines" had been committed.[5] Fewer than 200,000 liters of the company's annual 270 million liter production were implicated, but L'Affaire Duboeuf, as it was called, was considered a serious scandal.[6]
In December 2007, five people were arrested after reportedly selling nearly 600
Climate and geography
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/69/Regniechurch1.jpg/220px-Regniechurch1.jpg)
Beaujolais is a large wine-producing region, larger than any single district of Burgundy. There are over 18,000 hectares (44,000 acres)
The climate of Beaujolais is
The
Appellations
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The new rules for Beaujolais appellations were issued by
- Beaujolais AOC is the most extended appellation allowed to be used in any of the 96 villages, but essentially covering 60 villages, and refers to all basic Beaujolais wines. A large portion of the wine produced under this appellation is sold as Beaujolais Nouveau. Annually, this appellation averages around 75 million bottles a year in production.[9] Maximum level of sulfur dioxide in the Nouveau is limited at 100 mg/L.[10]
- Beaujolais-Villages AOC, the intermediate category in terms of classification, covers 39 communes/villages in the Haut Beaujolais, the northern part of the region accounting for a quarter of production. Some is sold as Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, but it is not common. Most of the wines are released in the following March after the harvest. The terrain of this region is hillier with more schist and granite soil composition than what is found in the regions of the Beaujolais AOC and the wine has the potential to be of higher quality. If the grapes come from the area of a single vineyard or commune, producers can affix the name of their particular village to the Beaujolais-Villages designation. Since most of the villages of Beaujolais, outside of those classified as Cru Beaujolais, villages have little international name recognitions most producers choose to maintain the Beaujolais-Villages designation. The maximum permitted yields for this AOC is 58 hl/ha.[1] These wines are meant to be consumed young, within two years of their harvest.[9] Several of the communes in the Beaujolais-Villages AOC also qualify to produce their wines under the Mâconnais and Saint-Véran AOCs. The Beaujolais producers that produce a red wine under the Beaujolais-Villages appellation will often produce their white wine under the more internationally recognized names of Mâcon-Villages or Saint-Véran.[4]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Louis_Jadot_Cru_Beaujolais_in_glass.jpg/220px-Louis_Jadot_Cru_Beaujolais_in_glass.jpg)
- Cru Beaujolais, the highest category of classification in Beaujolais, account for the production within ten villages/areas in the foothills of the Beaujolais mountains. Unlike Burgundy and Alsace, the phrase cru in Beaujolais refers to an entire wine-producing area rather than an individual vineyard.[11] Seven of the Crus relate to actual villages while Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly refer to the vineyards areas around Mont Brouilly and Moulin-à-Vent is named for a local windmill.[9] These wines do not usually show the word "Beaujolais" on the label, in an attempt to separate themselves from mass-produced Nouveau; in fact vineyards in the cru villages are not allowed to produce Nouveau. The maximum yields for Cru Beaujolais wine is 48 hl/ha. Their wines can be more full-bodied, darker in color, and significantly longer-lived. From north to south the Beaujolais crus are- Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly.[1]
- Beaujolais Blanc & Beaujolais Rosé – A small amount of white wine made from Chardonnay is grown in the region and used to produce Beaujolais Blanc or Beaujolais-Villages Blanc. The vineyards to produces these wines are normally found in the limestone soils of the far northern extremities of the region. Part of the reason for the small production of these wines is that many of the vineyards overlap into the Mâconnais regions and producers will usually choose to label their wines under the more marketable and well known Mâcon Blanc designation. There is also regulations in several Beaujolais communes restricting growers to dedicating no more than 10% of their vineyard space to white wine grape varieties. Beaujolais Rosé made from Gamay is permitted in the Beaujolais AOC but is rarely produced.[1]
Beaujolais crus
The 10 Beaujolais crus differ in character. The following three crus produce the lightest-bodied Beaujolais and are typically intended to be consumed within three years of the vintage.[9]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Mont_Brouilly.jpg/220px-Mont_Brouilly.jpg)
- Brouilly – The largest cru in Beaujolais, situated around Mont Brouilly and containing within its boundaries the sub-district of Côte de Brouilly. The wines are noted for their Catholic woman who misheard the local priest's absolution to "Allez! Et ne péchez plus." (Go! And sin no more.) as "Allez! Et ne pissez plus." (Go! And piss no more). The vineyard name is the admonishment that her husband gave to her upon learning of the priest's words.[4]
- Régnié - The most recently recognized cru, graduating from a Beaujolais-Villages area to Cru Beaujolais in 1988. One of the more full-bodied crus in this category. It is noted for its redcurrant and raspberry flavors.[11] Local lore in the region states that this cru was the site of the first vineyards planted in Beaujolais by the Romans.[4]
- Chiroubles – This cru has vineyards at some of the highest altitudes among the Cru Beaujolais. Chiroubles cru are noted for their delicate perfume that often includes aromas of violets.[11]
The next three crus produce more medium bodied Cru Beaujolais that Master of Wine Mary Ewing-Mulligan recommends needs at least a year aging in the bottle and to be consumed within four years of the vintage.[9]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Cote_de_Brouilly_bottle_of_Beaujolais_wine.jpg/150px-Cote_de_Brouilly_bottle_of_Beaujolais_wine.jpg)
- Côte de Brouilly – Located on the higher slopes of the extinct volcano Mont Brouilly within the Brouilly Cru Beaujolais. The wines from this region are more deeply concentrated with less earthiness than Brouilly wine.[11]
- Fleurie – One of the most widely exported Cru Beaujolais into the United States. These wines often have a velvet texture with fruity and floral bouquet.[11] In ideal vintages, a vin de garde (wine for aging) is produced that is meant to age at least four years before consuming and can last up to 16 years.[4]
- Saint-Amour – Local lore suggest that this region was named after a
The last four crus produce the fullest bodied examples of Cru Beaujolais that need the most time ageing in the bottle and are usually meant to be consumed between four and 10 years after harvest.[9]
- Chénas – Once contained many of the vineyards that are now sold under the Moulin-à-Vent designation. It is now the smallest Cru Beaujolais with wines that are noted for their aroma of wild roses.[11] In ideal vintages, a vin de garde is produced that is meant to age at least five years before consuming and last up to 15. The area named is derived from the forest of French oak trees (chêne) that used to dot the hillside.[4]
- Morgon – Produces earthy wines that can take on a Burgundian character of silky texture after five years aging. These wines are generally the deepest color and most rich Cru Beaujolais with aromas of apricots and peaches.[11] Within this cru there is a particular hillside, known as Côte du Py, in the center of Morgon that produces the most powerful examples of Morgon wines.[4]
- aging and can last up to 20 years.[4]
Beaujolais nouveau
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Beaujolais_nouveau_wine.jpg/220px-Beaujolais_nouveau_wine.jpg)
The early history of Beaujolais nouveau can trace its roots to 19th century when the first wines of the vintage were sent down the Saône to the early bistros of Lyon. Upon their arrival signs would be put out proclaiming "Le Beaujolais Est Arrivé!" and its consumption was seen as a celebration of another successful harvest. In the 1960s, this style of simple Beaujolais became increasingly popular worldwide with more than half a million cases of it being sold. In 1985 the
Today, about a third of the region's production is sold as Beaujolais nouveau, a marketing name created by Georges Duboeuf for the local vin de l'année. It is the lightest, fruitiest style of Beaujolais and meant for simple quaffing. Any Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages AOC vineyard can produce Beaujolais nouveau. The grapes are harvested between late August and early September. It is fermented for just a few days and released to the public on the third Thursday of November – "Beaujolais Nouveau Day". It is the first French wine to be released for each vintage year. In 1992, at its peak, more than half of all Beaujolais wine was sold as "Beaujolais nouveau".[1] The wines are meant to be drunk as young as possible, when they are at their freshest and fruitiest. They can last up to one or two years but will have lost most of their characteristic flavors by that point.[9]
Viticulture and grape varieties
The Beaujolais region has one of the highest vine density ratios of any major worldwide wine region, with anywhere from 9000 to 13,000 vines per hectare. Most vines are trained in the traditional
The Gamay grape, more accurately known as Gamay noir à Jus blanc to distinguish it from the Gamay
Since the 1960s, more focus has been placed on the choice of
Winemaking and style
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Beaujolais_glass.jpg/150px-Beaujolais_glass.jpg)
Beaujolais wines are produced by the winemaking technique of semi-carbonic maceration. Whole grape clusters are put in cement or stainless steel tanks with capacities between 4,000–30,000 litres (1,100–7,900 US gal). The bottom third of the grapes gets crushed under the weight of gravity and resulting must begins normal
After fermentation, the must is normally high in
Basic Beaujolais is the classic
Wine industry
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Wine_yard_in_Beaujolais.jpg/220px-Wine_yard_in_Beaujolais.jpg)
The Beaujolais wine industry is dominated by the more than 30 négociants who produce nearly 90% of the wine sold outside the Beaujolais region. Many of these négociants, such as
Serving and food pairing
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Beaujolais_salad.jpg/150px-Beaujolais_salad.jpg)
Wine expert
Beaujolais wine can
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
- ISBN 0-671-68702-6.
- ^ a b c Styles, Oliver (June 20, 2005). "'Vin de merde' case closes in favour of freedom of speech". Decanter.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-7566-1324-8.
- ^ a b c Samuel, Henry. (2006-07-05.) "King of Beaujolais is convicted over adulterated wines." (News website.) Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
- ^ Walt, Vivienne: "The grapes of wrath." Archived 2008-04-22 at the Wayback Machine CNN.com, 2005-10-03. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
- ^ Trouble ferments in Beaujolais country Daily Telegraph, 19 December 2007.
- ^ "SUPERFICIES ET PRODUCTIONS DE VINS (hl) en 2010" (PDF). inao.gouv.fr. Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité. February 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- ^ ISBN 0-7645-5354-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h CAHIER DES CHARGES DE L'APPELLATION D'ORIGINE CONTRÔLÉE BEAUJOLAIS.
- ^ ISBN 1-56305-434-5.
External links
- Beaujolais Wines Homepage
- French wine vintage chart Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine-Including Beaujolais
- Beaujolais-Intro
- Beaujolais Food and Wine pairing
- Wine Region map
- Domaine de la Merlette