Beaujolais Flashcards
What is the primary grape used in Beaujolais?
Gamay
What percent of Beaujolais plantings are Gamay?
95
What is the appellation ranking of Beaujolais?
Beaujolais
- Beaujolais AOP
- Beaujolais-Villages AOP
Beaujolais cru
What are the primary differences between Beaujolais AOP and Beaujolais-Villages AOP wines?
Beaujolais-Villages AOP wines require slightly higher potential alcohol levels and slightly lower maximum yields
What does supérieur mean in Beaujolais?
A red wine with a minimum potential alcohol of at least 10.5% (rather than the standard 10%)
What are the crus of Beaujolais?
Saint-Amour
Juliénas
Chénas
Moulin-à-Vent
Fleurie
Chiroubles
Morgon
Régnié
Brouilly
Côte de Brouilly
What is the smallest Beaujolais cru?
Chénas
What is the largest Beaujolais cru?
Brouilly
Best soil Beaujolais
Low nutrient granite
Gamay can easily over grow
This soil prevents that
Traditional pruning method Beaujolais
Gobelet
Gamay typical style Beaujolais
Raspberry
Cherry
≤Med tannin and body
Top four Beaujolais crus by production
Brouilly
Morgon
Fleurie
Moulin-à-Vent
Moulin à Vent and Morgon typical style
More structure
Bottle aging potential
Brouilly and Fleurie typical style
Light
Perfumed
<p>Beaujolais in relation to Burgundy?</p>
<p>Beaujolais is a part of greater Burgundy, being just south of Maconnais, and makes more wine than the rest of Burgundy put together</p>
<p>Carbonic Maceration</p>
<p>o Carbonic maceration: Winemaking process which transforms a small amount of sugar contained in uncrushed grapes into ethanol without the intervention of yeasts.
o Whole clusters placed in closed vats with CO2 to remove oxygen
o CO2 chases out O2 out of the vat
o causes a fermentation to start inside the berries on top (intracellular fermentation)
o the intracellular fermentation is anaerobic
o at ~ 2 % abv the berries split and normal ferment commences
o typically short maceration (4 to 8 days)
o Then drain the free run juice + press the remaining must
o Fermented through as juice with yeast added</p>
<p>Moulin- a- Vent</p>
<p>Producing the highest quality Cru wines
On Manganese & Iron rich soils
more concentrated than typical Beaujolais Cru; considered to be more Pinot Noir like</p>
<p>Morgon</p>
<p>This is the second largest Cru, after Brouilly
Makes full bodied, ageworthy wines, with dark cherry and tannins.
Volcanic soils of Cote de Py</p>
<p>Chenas</p>
<p>Generally from the sloping vineyards, a small appellation</p>
<p>Fleurie</p>
<p>The soils are mainly pinkish sandy granite soil and the wines are light, fragrant, feminine and floral.
Generally some of the most expensive Beaujolais Cru</p>
<p>Chiroubles</p>
<p>High altitudes give a lifted nose and poor soils offer a tense palate.</p>
<p>Brouilly</p>
<p>The largest AOC, with 1300 Ha, light and perfumed wines, on volcanic soils</p>
<p>Cote du Brouilly</p>
<p>From the hill above Brouilly, with a lighter style</p>
<p>Julienas</p>
<p>Takes its name from Julius Caesar in reflection of Roman times.</p>
<p>St Amour</p>
<p>Most northern Cru. Bordering Macon and Pouilly Fuisse, makes light styled Beaujolais from its limestone soils</p>
<p>Regnie</p>
<p>The youngest of the Cru, awarded Cru status on December 8, 1988</p>