As the harvest approaches, the subject of this year’s wine quality will be argued until it is all consumed.
Our first hint will be the French red known as Beaujolais Nouveau, which is the initial wine of the vintage. This youngest of quaffs is released on the third Thursday of November with much celebration and hoopla. Tradition holds that it is all drunk by the following Easter.
The reality is that, too many times, it is more of an event than a serious wine. Beaujolais, the region, is located just south of the area of Mȃconnnais in Burgundy. On closer inspection, we can find better wines from this region that deserve our attention.
A step up the ladder from Beaujolais Nouveau is bottled and aged Beaujolais, available almost everywhere. Beaujolais-Villages is next in the hierarchy, with the grapes going through a more rigorous selection process, with more stringent winemaking techniques used.
The best wines come from the 10 crus of Beaujolais, individual districts named after the villages in their hearts. They are, from north to south: Saint Armour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin á Vent, Fluerie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Cote de Brouilly and Brouilly. Each of these brings its own terroir and personality to the Gamay noir grape.
Throughout France, the versatile Beaujolais is known as a “cafe wine.” It is light, fruity and lower in alcohol than many of its better-known brethren. In my opinion, this wine is a good match with summer grilling, as well as Indian food, matching the exotic spices with its straightforward style.
It seems to me, however, that Beaujolais suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. It may be that it plays second fiddle to its northern neighbor, Burgundy, where the world‘s best Pinot Noirs are made. Even with the worldwide hype of Beaujolais Nouveau, this region is sadly overlooked. Beaujolais-Villages is available in stores, but there is no section devoted to this great wine. It is also mostly missing from many wine lists in restaurants, where it would match very well with the modern cuisine that chefs are offering.
As always, though, trends change, which gives hope for this cafe quaff. One reason this dynamic region gets such short shrift could be that the amount of white wine produced is miniscule. A very small amount of Beaujolais Blanc, which is Chardonnay, comes from the northern part of Beaujolais. These wines are easily overlooked when the Mȃconnais region is on your border.
In the United States, there is one time and place where Beaujolais is perfect. I speak of the holiday of Thanksgiving. This French red and American turkey with trimmings is a match made in heaven. Even if you don’t have a bottle for your barbecue, try this. Mark your calendar for the Nouveau release and go buy several bottles for Thanksgiving the following week.
Keep sipping, Steve
Fine Wine & Good Spirits
Chateau de Bellevue Morgon Les Charmes 2012 750mL, Price $23.99 (Code 48977)
French luxury wine buyer Jennifer Brown says “What I love about this wine is it comes from a single vineyard and the wine is made by a Burgundian winemaker (Claire Forestier) who is known for beautiful Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Claire’s treatment of Gamay is just as intense and it shows in her wines.”
Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages 750mL, retail price $13.99 (Code 7208)
One of the more popular Beaujolais-Villages, the winemaker says “this juicy wine has expressive aromas and flavors of ripe red berries, with nice weight and typically high acidity in the mouth and mineral and spice notes underlying the fruit.”
Terres Dorees Beaujolais Blanc Chardonnay 2012 750 mL, Price $19.99 (Code 80043)
The winemaker, Jean-Paul Brun, is a big part of the “natural wine” movement. David Bowler Wine, the US importer and Distributor for this gem, says “this wine offers a distinctively delicious personality such as you won’t find in Chardonnay grown anywhere in the world. A bright yet luscious meld of melons, pineapple, lemon, and apple suffused with mouthwatering salinity. Savor this beauty–a fantastic value.”
