16 - Beaujolais

Question 1

What types of wines can be made in Beaujolais?

What type dominates?

Answer 1

Red, Rose and White

Red, from Gamay

Question 2

What is Beuajolais climate like?

Answer 2

Similar to the Southern Macaonnais

Question 3

What are the characteristics of the Gamay grape in the vineyard?

Answer 3

Early budding, early ripening.

If not well managed it will delivery large yields of low quality wine.

Question 4

What soils are the best Gamay wines grown in and why?

Answer 4

Granite soils with low nutrient levels

Limits yields and concentrates flavours.

Question 5

What is the traditional pruning method in the region?

Answer 5

Gobelet

Vines pruned to spurs around the head and shoots are tied together to hold them vertically.

Increasing numbers of growers are training them to allow for mechanisation.

Question 6

What style of wine does Gamay produce?

Answer 6

Fragrant wines with aromas of raspberry and cherry fruit.

Rarely more than medium tannin and body.

Lightest styles can even be served lightly chilled.

Question 7

What is the hierarchy of appellations in Beuajolais?

Answer 7

Bottom to Top:
Beaujolais
Beaujolais Villages
Beaujolais Crus

Question 8

Where, geographically, is Beaujolais produced?

What production method is usually used?

Answer 8

In the east and south of the region, on the alluvial plains of the River Saone.

Carbonic Maceration and Semi-carbonic maceration.

Question 9

Where can wines labelled as Beaujolais come from?

Answer 9

Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages quality only.

Cannot be from the Beaujolais Cru areas.

Question 10

How many Beaujolais crus are there?

Answer 10

10 Beaujolais Crus

Question 11

What is the style of a Beaujolais/Beauolais Nouveau

Answer 11

Light in body and tannin

Red berry fruit
Notes of kirsch, banana and cinnamon-like spice from carbonic maceration.

Question 12

Describe the geography of Beaujolais Village and Crus vineyards?

Answer 12

To the north and west of the region.

Vineyards planted on a series of rolling hills.

Granite Soils

Question 13

How many Beaujolais Villages are there?

Answer 13

39

Question 14

Are Beaujolais Villages wines blended?

Answer 14

Yes. The name of an individual village will rarely appear on the bottle as most are blended from different villages.

Question 15

What are the Beaujolais Cru appelations with the greatest production?

Answer 15

Brouilly
Morgon
Fleurie
Moulin-a-Vent

Question 16

Which Beaujolais Cru appellations produce the most structured wines?

What about these cru wines makes them suitable for ageing?

Answer 16

Moulin-a-Vent
Morgon

Fruit concentration and tannin mean these wines can improve with bottle ageing.

Question 17

How do the wines of Brouilly and Fleurie differ from the other 2 top producing Beaujolais cru appellations?

Answer 17

They tend to be lighter and more perfumed.

Question 18

What production methods will Beujolais wines often see?

Answer 18

A range of techniques.

Mnay undergo crushed fruit fermentation.
Some receive oak ageing in large vats rather than casks.
New oak is rarely pronounced.

Other producers use semi-carbonic or a small proportion of whole bunches to brighten fruit aromas.