Beaujolais may be the best all season wine!
Drinking Beaujolais in a Vineyard. Living the dream! Poetic license. This is not a picture of a Burgundy Vineyard, but we can dream no matter the season!
Wine is absolutely an all season thing!
Clearly!
Sometimes you want different styles of wine for different weather. Lately, weird temperature changes are happening daily.
I’m in the Northeast. Today feels like winter. This weekend it will feel like summer. Insanity!
Beaujolais seems to work with all of it!
Let’s learn enough about this wine so you can drink more of what you like all the time!
In every season.
Even when seasons change hourly.
I look at Beaujolais as a fun easy wine that can go with almost any food you eat it with. It is really adaptable.
In an Italian restaurant, I have heard it pronounced:
Bo Yo Lay.
It sounds even more fun that way!
Some things to know:
Where is Beaujolais?
Beaujolais is a region within Burgundy France. As I have mentioned before, France has rules out the wazoo for what grapes can be used in specific areas.
Only a wine made in Beaujolais following these rules can be called a Beaujolais!!!
What grapes are grown in Beaujolais?
Aha! Good question. Notice I said a region within Burgundy. In Beaujolais the grape variety is Gamay. Do not think you are getting a typical Burgundian wine. That is Pinot Noir!
The grapes are actually cousins. I could get into how Pinot Noir is a promiscuous grape. Yep, its true!
I have already covered that for my email followers. Fun story. Look into it if you don’t know about it.
This is a good time for me to suggest you sign up for my emails. You are really missing out on some good stuff. You also get a free wine guide.
Here you go:
While Pinot Noir can also show a lot of different ways, it doesn’t always scream adaptable the same way Gamay does.
When you see this!
You are in Burgundy.
When you see this!
You are in Beaujolais. By the way, Georges DuBoeuf was known as the King of Beaujolais.
(This photograph is old. I haven’t been in Burgundy for decades. Couldn’t resist including it though.)
You are much more likely to enjoy a wine when you have an idea what you are getting. If you are expecting chocolate cake and get carrot cake, you may be disappointed. It doesn’t mean the carrot cake isn’t good. It’s not like you’re given a turnip instead of chocolate cake. So expect Gamay and enjoy Gamay.
There is a small amount of white Beaujolais. I will not be talking about that. It is made with Chardonnay grapes. I am sticking with Gamay for this.
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So, am I talking about Gamay or Beaujolais?
Both!
What else should I know you may ask?
In Beaujolais, location is king! Ok, not quite as much as other regions of Burgundy where prices can be insanely high because of location. But Location still makes a difference in Beaujolais. In particular, the soil is different in different areas. This shows up in the wine.
If location makes a difference, this also means Gamay is going to taste different if made in entirely different countries. Yep! More styles to choose from for all the different weather around.
Gamay may be called Gamay Noir. Maybe that is to remind people that it is related to Pinot Noir. However, Gamay Noir is the same grape as Gamay.
In Hudson Valley New York, they make some fantastic Gamay Noir wines!
This is an absolutely fantastic Gamay Noir! Beyond delicious!
It tastes quite different than a Beaujolais. This wine is part of the reason I wanted to write this post. So many different wonderful choices from one grape variety!!
Look for Gamay wines from everywhere. See what you can find and compare the differences.
Even in Beaujolais the differences may be enormous.
What are some of the differences in Beaujolais?
When you go to shop for Beaujolais you should know that there is a hierarchy. With wine in France, there is always a pecking order so to speak. Generally the more specific the label, the higher the price. Whether the price is worth it to you, that obviously depends.
What are some of the options in Beaujolais you may also ask?
You can buy wine that just says Beaujolais. That means the wine can come from any area of Beaujolais. There will be a very wide range of quality here. Most of the wine bottled in Beaujolais is this designation.
Is Beaujolais Nouveau an option?
Let’s discuss Beaujolais Nouveau. It is bottled barely 6 weeks after harvest and is a very simple wine and easy to drink. I believe there are much better options, but if you can’t resist the marketing, drink it chilled and as soon as you buy it. It comes out in November each year.
You probably shouldn’t even try to keep it even into December. When I say as soon as you buy it, I mean it. This choice is not an all season wine.
What are some better options?
Better is relative of course. You can go a little more specific regionally. As I said before, that usually costs more money. I often prefer to spend a little more and buy a bottle with a Beaujolais Village designation.
Beaujolais Village is a designation used to describe the better-quality wines that come from granite hills from the north of the region. There are 38 official villages. Thirty of them rate being listed on the label. Again, the more specific the label, the higher the price. They don’t rank at the top though.
There’s more!
Read on, should you want to know. Skim if it is TMI.
That honor belongs to the Cru (pronounced crew) Beaujolais. Usually, the label will only mention the name of the Cru. You need to know it is Beaujolais. Never mind not mentioning the grape type, they don’t even mention the general region.
Stylistically they can be quite different from each other. Although, none of them should cost what a high-quality Burgundy will cost, the higher end can reach more than $50 depending on where you buy it. That price range stops being fun for me. Just saying.
Do you need to know the differences among them?
You don’t necessarily need to know, but if you want to buy at this level, be informed. Ask questions if there is a knowledgeable wine sales person. Certain producers are better than others.
What are the different cru Beaujolais? Maybe a little information.
Going from lightest to bolder:
Saint-Amour
This region really leans into the amour part. The logo for the region includes a heart. There are 2 different styles within the region because of the different soils. One style is lighter and fruitier than the other. There are 12 vineyard plots that are special enough to be added to the wine label. Remember the more specific the higher the price. Maybe for Valentine’s Day?
Fleurie
This region is known as the Queen of Beaujolais. This is a great place to start in your Beaujolais adventures.
Chiroubles
Another light style Beaujolais.
Chénas
Really wide range of prices for this cru, depending on the producer. I don’t think of aging beaujolais, but this wine could handle it
Régnié
These wines are really delicious when young.
Côte de Brouilly and Brouilly
This is a classic example of the importance of location. Côte de Brouilly is planted on the slopes of Mount Brouilly. Brouilly is on the flatter area. The former is usually more expensive and has aging possibility. I am a huge fan of Brouilly.
Juliénas
Wines grown in this region are on the more bold side because of the soil. This wine could be aged should you want to.
Morgon
These wines are definitely more serious. They are meant to be aged. Supposedly, if aged it starts to resemble a Burgundian Pinot Noir. So if you were expecting this when you bought the wine, you just have to wait 5 to 10 years. Hmm.
Moulin-á-Vent
These wines have more tannins than most of the others. They are also able to be aged may turn Pinot style if you wait long enough.
Well this was a ton of information.
Now what?
Well, bundle up or strip down depending on your weather!
Regardless, there is a Beaujolais or Gamay or Gamay Noir for all seasons!!
Maybe buy a sampling of a few different levels and styles and compare them. See if you enjoy the higher priced wines. Does it make a difference?
A little chill on Beaujolais or Gamay may appeal to you.
This is the best way to learn what you like!!
That’s the goal!
As always, you can keep it simple and drink whatever you can find.
Enjoy whatever season it is!!
