Beaujolais Flashcards
Beaujolais Region
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)
Beaujolais Climate
Continental, slightly warmer than rest of Burgundy; adequate rainfall: 740 mm per year; Mistral wind
Beaujolais Geography
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
Mistral WInd
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
Beaujolais Soil - North
Beaujolais Cru AOCs and Beaujolais-Villages AOC = fast-draining granite, schist, and sandy soils
Beaujolais Soil - South
Beaujolais AOC = richer soils; flat
Gamay Noir - Risks
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
Millerandage
Uneven development of grapes in a bunch; grapes/berries vary greatly in size and maturity
Gamay Noir - Ripeness
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
Gamay Noir - Yields
Very productive; yields must be controlled for concentrated, ripe grapes; reducing number of buds helps to restrain fertility
Gamay Noir - Training
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)
Gamay Noir - Picking
By hand - whole bunches required for semi-carbonic maceration (most); very important stems are fully ripe (risk of green flavors and bitter tannins)
Beaujolais Chardonnay
north on border with Macon Villages appellation; cool marl or limestone (slow down ripening, preserve acidity)
Terra Vitis
founded in Beaujolais; association of sustainable viticultural practices
Semi-carbonic maceration
- Vessel filled with whole bunches 2. Grapes at bottom are crushed under weight of the grapes above and release juice
- Ambient yeast starts to ferment juice
- Fermentation produces CO2 which fills vessel and remaining grapes undergo carbonic maceration
- Intact berries split and release juice
- Grapes pressed and yeast completes fermentation off the skins
Carbonic Maceration
- Whole bunches put into vessels filled with CO2 to remove all oxygen
- Intracellular fermentation starts producing about 2% abv
- Grapes crushed or grape skins start to split releasing juice
- Normal fermentation commences
- Juice drained immediately (no further maceration); grapes pressed to separate juice from skins
- Free run juice and press juice typically blended
- Yeast completes fermentation off skins
Why carbonic?
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.
Maceration
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)
Style - Beaujolais and some Villages
red fruit; kirsch, banana, blueberry aromas typical of semi-carbonic
Style - Cru Beaujolais
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
Cost
semi-carbonic aged in stainless and released for early sale - reduces costs; Cru Beaujolais using oak (% new), aging = increases costs
Natural Wine Movement
Pioneers: Jules Chauvet (négociant), Marcel Lapierre (winemaker) were from Beaujolais
Beaujolais Nouveau
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
Beaujolais AOC
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
