Beaujolais

Question 1

What is the climate of Beaujolais?

Answer 1

Continental
Similar to southern Mâconnias

Moderate continental ?

Question 2

What is the principal grape variety of Beaujolais and why ?

Answer 2

Gamay
Because the climate is ideally suited to the early budding and ripening Gamay

Possible to make red, rosé and white but really dominated by Gamay

Question 3

What is the best soils to produce Gamay best wine in Beaujolais ?

Answer 3

Granite soils, with low levels of nutrients

Question 4

Explain the grape growing techniques to grow Gamay in Beaujolais

Answer 4

• Gamay can produce large yields, resulting in low quality wines
• Therefore, important to grow in granite soils, with low levels of nutrients, to limit the yields and have more concentrated flavours
• Many un-trellised vineyards. Vines are pruned to spurs around the head, and the shoots are tied together to hold them vertically (called bush vine or Gobelet)
• Certain use wires to allow for mechanisation

Question 5

Describe the wines made of Gamay in Beaujolais

Answer 5

Fragrant wines
aromas of raspberry and cherry fruit
medium level of tannin and body
can sometimes be served lightly chilled

Question 6

What is the hierarchy of appellations in Beaujolais ?

Answer 6

From the bottom
1. Beaujolais
2. Beaujolais Villages
3. Beaujolais crus

Question 7

Where is located Beaujolais AOC ?
What is the type of soil?

Answer 7

East and south of the Burgundy Region
Lies in the alluvial (clay, silt, sand, gravel, ) plain of the River saône . Granite soils with low levels of nutrients

Question 8

How is produced Beaujolais AOC ?

Answer 8

Mainly by carbonic maceration and semi-carbonic maceration

Question 9

What is Beaujolais Nouveau ?

Answer 9

• A wine made for early drinking
• Cannot be released to te consumer until the third thurday in November after the vintage and cannot be sole by growers or négociants after the following 31 August
• Can only be from Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages quality (ten crus cannot be sold in this way)

Light in body and tannin, red berry fruit, and often notes of Kirsch, banana, cinnamon-like spice from carbonic maceration

Question 10

Where are located Beaujolais Villages AOC and Beaujolais Crus AOC ?

Answer 10

North and West of the region

Question 11

What is the type of soil in the North and West of Beaujolais Region

Answer 11

Granite soils, on a series of rolling hills

Question 12

How many villages have the right to call their wine Beaujolais Villages AOC ?

Answer 12

39 villages

Inidividual village names rarely appear on wine labels
Most of them make wine from blending wines from different villages

Question 13

How many Beaujolais crus AOC are there ?

Answer 13

10 crus

Question 14

Name the crus with the greatest production

Answer 14

From North to South
Brouilly
Morgon
Fleurie
Moulin à vent

Question 15

Describe the wines of the Beaujolais Crus ?

Answer 15

Moulin-à-vent and Morgon
- most structured wines
- enough fruit concentration and tannins for bottle-ageing

Brouilly and Fleurie
- lighter more perfumed styles

Question 16

What are the techniques used in the production of Beaujolais Crus ?

Answer 16

Range of techniques:
- crushed fruit fermentation
- oak ageing, in large vats rather than cask (rarely pronounced aromas of oak)
- Semi-carbonic maceration or a small proportion of whole bunches to give brighter fruit aromas

Question 17

Where is Beaujolais ?

Answer 17

South of Macônnais region,
In the east of France
North of Lyon
between the latitude of Loire and Bordeaux