Beaujolais

Question 1

Beaujolais Region

Answer 1

Immediately south of the Maconnais in eastern France; considered part of greater Burgundy; produces a volume almost equal to all of Burgundy; Gamay 98%, tiny amount of rose, Chardonnay, Aligote (until 2024)

Question 2

Beaujolais Climate

Answer 2

Continental, slightly warmer than rest of Burgundy; adequate rainfall: 740 mm per year; Mistral wind

Question 3

Beaujolais Geography

Answer 3

Saone River acts as moderator of extreme temperatures; north (Beaujolais Cru AOCs and Beaujolais-Villages AOC) = hilly (200-500 m): vineyards situated on s/se facing slopes for maximum exposure to the sun; earlier harvest than flatter Beaujolais AOC

Question 4

Mistral WInd

Answer 4

Cold winds: affect flowering in cold, damp, early summer; can damage leaves and grapes toward end of ripening period when Gamay’s naturally thin skins are at most vulnerable; vine orientation and training low to ground are important to reduce these risks

Question 5

Beaujolais Soil - North

Answer 5

Beaujolais Cru AOCs and Beaujolais-Villages AOC = fast-draining granite, schist, and sandy soils

Question 6

Beaujolais Soil - South

Answer 6

Beaujolais AOC = richer soils; flat

Question 7

Gamay Noir - Risks

Answer 7

early-budding (spring frost); vulnerable to milerandage in cold, damp, windy (Mistral) conditions (reduces yields); thin skin at risk of rot and wind (Mistral); early-ripening so picked before autumn rains

Question 8

Millerandage

Answer 8

Uneven development of grapes in a bunch; grapes/berries vary greatly in size and maturity

Question 9

Gamay Noir - Ripeness

Answer 9

Needs: 1. slopes with very good drainage 2. sites with good sunlight interception 3. warm granite soils === wine with intense fruit character (ripe grapes, including skins and seeds); underripe grapes produce green leafy character

Question 10

Gamay Noir - Yields

Answer 10

Very productive; yields must be controlled for concentrated, ripe grapes; reducing number of buds helps to restrain fertility

Question 11

Gamay Noir - Training

Answer 11

Bushes (traditionally) for protection from wind; still seen on steeper slopes; vines trained on trellises to aid mechanization (especially when aim is for inexpensive wine)

Question 12

Gamay Noir - Picking

Answer 12

By hand - whole bunches required for semi-carbonic maceration (most); very important stems are fully ripe (risk of green flavors and bitter tannins)

Question 13

Beaujolais Chardonnay

Answer 13

north on border with Macon Villages appellation; cool marl or limestone (slow down ripening, preserve acidity)

Question 14

Terra Vitis

Answer 14

founded in Beaujolais; association of sustainable viticultural practices

Question 15

Semi-carbonic maceration

Answer 15

1. Vessel filled with whole bunches 2. Grapes at bottom are crushed under weight of the grapes above and release juice
2. Ambient yeast starts to ferment juice
3. Fermentation produces CO2 which fills vessel and remaining grapes undergo carbonic maceration
4. Intact berries split and release juice
5. Grapes pressed and yeast completes fermentation off the skins

Question 16

Carbonic Maceration

Answer 16

1. Whole bunches put into vessels filled with CO2 to remove all oxygen
2. Intracellular fermentation starts producing about 2% abv
3. Grapes crushed or grape skins start to split releasing juice
4. Normal fermentation commences
5. Juice drained immediately (no further maceration); grapes pressed to separate juice from skins
6. Free run juice and press juice typically blended
7. Yeast completes fermentation off skins

Question 17

Why carbonic?

Answer 17

Extracts color, but little tannin (b/c tannin is more easily extracted w/ higher alcohol levels (see 2% abv); wines have low tannins w/ distinctive notes from intracellular fermentation and fruit notes of grape variety - more distinct than complex; can improve grapes grown at high yields/underripe; enhances fruitiness and color to make wine for early consumption.

Question 18

Maceration

Answer 18

Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages 4-5 days; very good Villages macerated for 6-9 days (more concentration); Cru Beaujolais macerated for 10-20 days (grapes may be destemmed and crushed, followed by fermentation and maceration on skins in Burgundian style)

Question 19

Style - Beaujolais and some Villages

Answer 19

red fruit; kirsch, banana, blueberry aromas typical of semi-carbonic

Question 20

Style - Cru Beaujolais

Answer 20

Burgundian - deeper color, more full-bodied with higher level of tannin than semi-carbonic wines; aged in small or large barrels with small % new oak

Question 21

Cost

Answer 21

semi-carbonic aged in stainless and released for early sale - reduces costs; Cru Beaujolais using oak (% new), aging = increases costs

Question 22

Natural Wine Movement

Answer 22

Pioneers: Jules Chauvet (négociant), Marcel Lapierre (winemaker) were from Beaujolais

Question 23

Beaujolais Nouveau

Answer 23

sold from the third Thursday in November after harvest; carbonic or semi-carbonic; bottled 3-5 days after fermentation; some malo conversion; fining/filtering; moderate to high use of SO2 (to prevent malo from happening later in bottle); 25% of all Beaujolais made as Nouveau

Question 24

Beaujolais AOC

Answer 24

regional appellation covering whole area, but in practice vineyards are in the south; max yield 60 hL/ha (some low flavor intensity); wines sold from mid-January; fresh and fruity style; good quality, inexpensive

Question 25

Beaujolais-Villages AOC

Answer 25

north of region: higher levels of ripeness; max yield 58 hL/ha; individual village can be added to label but rare; sits alongside 10 Crus

Question 26

Beaujolais-Villages Tasting Note

Answer 26

purple; medium intensity fresh red cherry, raspberry, red plum (often kirsch and banana typical of semi-carbonic); medium (+) to high acidity, light to medium (-) body, medium alcohol, light to medium tannins; good to very good; inexpensive to mid-priced

Question 27

Beaujolais Cru Tasting Note

Answer 27

some producers with organic old vines = low intervention wines with oak aging . . . medium (+) to pronounced intensity in aromas and flavors with medium tannins; very good to outstanding, premium and super-premium in price

Question 28

Brouilly AOC

Answer 28

most southern, marginally warmer = lighter, more perfumed; largest Cru

Question 29

Chiroubles AOC

Answer 29

highest altitude = lighter, fragrant wines with marked acidity

Question 30

Fleurie AOC

Answer 30

south = sandy soils producing lighter, more fragrant wine; north (next to Moulin-a-Vent) = more clay producing heavier wines with lower acidity and more body

Question 31

Moulin-a-Vent AOC

Answer 31

most powerful and long-lived wines; closer in style to Cote d’Or

Question 32

Morgon AOC

Answer 32

Pronounced intensity black cherry with red fruit, sufficient tannins for aging decades; Cote de Py (south facing)

Question 33

Co-ops

Answer 33

25% of sales; average land holding is 10 hectares (sell to co-ops or negociants)

Question 34

Exports

Answer 34

60% sold in France; 40% exported to Japan (loves Nouveau), USA and UK (love Villages and Crus) = 60% of all exports between three markets

Question 35

Business

Answer 35

land prices are less expensive in Beaujolais than Burgundy - Burgundians look to diversify south; also helped drive quality, encouraged reduction in carbonic and increased use of oak (esp. Crus); consumers look to Beaujolais as less expensive alternative to Burgundy; somms and wine buyers in US love Beaujolais Cru

Question 36

George Duboeuf

Answer 36

negociant who from 1964 promoted Beaujolais Nouveau; opened new markets in France and internationally; wine festival and media event with release every November

Question 37

Crus North to South

Answer 37

Saint-Amour
Julienas
Chenas
Moulin-a-Vent
Fleurie
Chiroubles
Morgon
Regnie
Brouilly
Cote dr Brouilly