Beaujolais Flashcards
What is the most widely planted grape in Beaujolais?
Gamay
Why is Gamay suited to this region?
It is early budding and early ripening
Desribe the style of Gamay wines from this region?
They have fragrant aromas of raspberry and cherry, medium tannins, medium body-, medium+ acidity, medium- alcohol and the lightest styles can be chilled.
What is the hierarchy of the appellations in Beaujolais?
Lowest - regional appellation of Beaujolais
Middle - Beaujolais Villages
Top - Beaujolais Crus
Which winemaking method is employed in making Beaujolais wines?
Carbonic maceration and semi-carbonic maceration.
Describe the criteria Beaujolais Nouveau wines must meet before being released?
These are wines that is specifically made for early drinking and it cannot be released to the consumer until the third Thursday in November after the vintage and cannot be sold by growers or negociants after the following 31st August. Can only come from Beaujolais or Beaujolais Village appellations.
Describe the style of Beaujolais Nouveau wines.
Light in body, low in tannin, red berry fruit and notes or kirsch, banana and cinnamon-like spice from the carbonic maceration.
Where is Beaujolais Nouveau produced?
In the alluvial plain of the River Saone
Where are Beaujolais Village and Beaujolais Crus wines produced?
To the North and West of the region.
Planted on a series of rolling hills.
Granite soils.
What are the top 4 Beaujolais Crus with the greatest production?
Brouilly, Morgon, Fleurie, and Moulin-à-Vent. These wines will undergo crushed fruit fermentation and some oak ageing, often in large vats. They rarely display pronounced aromas or flavours of new oak. Others producers use semi-carbonic maceration of small proportion of whole bunches to give brighter fruit aromas.
Describe the wines from Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent
Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent - most structured wines. The fruit concentration and level of tannins means that these wines can improve with bottle ageing.
Describe the wines rom Brouilly and Fleurie
These wines are lighter and more perfumed.
What is the soil like in Fleurie
granite
