Beaujolais Flashcards
Which grape variety is most widely grown in Beaujolais?
Gamay
What is the Beaujolais climate and major influences
Beaujolais has a moderate climate, moderated by the Soane River, the Mistral wind has a cooling influence
Explain how a beaujolais wine producer may try and achieve concentration of flavours in Gamay grapes?
Vineyard management:
* Planting on south and south-east facing slopes for optimum sun exposure/nutrients/water
* Training the vine low to protect against strong winds and the added benefit to ripening from re-radiated heat from the ground.
* Canopy management - Gamay is a vigorous variety and spur pruning is recommended to reduce the vigour.
Ensuring stalks are ripe as Beaujolais wines usually require whole bunch fermentation, and unripe stalks can add bitterness and astringency.
Ensuring both the skins and pips are ripe to avoid added bitterness and herbaceous flavours.
Which whole bunch fermentation technique is used to make the majority of Beaujolais?
Semi-carbonic maceration
How long do Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages wines usually spend macerating on the skins?
4-5 days
Why are press wine and free run juice wine are blended in Beaujolais.
Press wine and free run juice are often blended as the press wine gives colour and tannins to the free run juice
Which of the following aromas/flavours are typical of Beaujolais wines?
Kirsch
Blueberry
Strawberry
Banana
True or false?
The region has become famous for low intervention winemaking.
True
Sustainable and organic winemaking is very popular throughout Beaujolais.
When can Beaujolais Nouveau be sold?
From the third Thursday in November
French wine laws dictate wines made in the country cannot be sold before 15th December. An exception is made for Beaujolais Nouveau though which can be sold after the third Thursday in November.
What is the maximum yield for Beaujolais AOC in hL/ha.
The maximum yield is 60 hL/ha. This can lead to some wines with low flavour intensity.
How many Beaujolais Crus are there? Name them.
10
from north to south are St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, and Côte de Brouilly.
Describe Morgon AOC wines
This includes wines from fruit grown on the south-facing Côte de Py vineyard, part of appellation, that tend to have pronounced intensity black cherry fruit alongside red fruit, and sufficient tannins to age for a decade in bottle.
Describe Fleurie AOC wines
The southern part of this cru has sandy soils producing lighter and more fragrant wine, while towards the north, where the soils have more clay, the wines become heavier, have lower acidity and are more full-bodied.
Describe Moulin-à-Vent AOC wines
This appellation produces the most powerful and long-lived wines, closer in style to Côte d’Or red wines than to most other Beaujolais.
Chiroubles AOC
This is the cru at the highest altitude that produces lighter and fragrant wines with marked acidity.
