Ch. 4 – Beaujolais Flashcards
Climate
Continental climate
- slightly warmer than Burgundy
Adequate rainfall (740mm)
Saone River moderates temperature
Subject to Mistral winds
- can affect flowering
- damage to grapes (Gamay has thin skins)
- vine orientation and low training are necessary
Northern part is hilly, South is flatter
Soils
Hilly nothern part (200-500m)
- fast draining granite, schist, sandy soils
- south, south-east facing for maximum exposure
Southern part - flatter
- richer soils
Gamay Noir
early budding (spring frost)
Susceptible to millerandage (dump, cold, windy conditions)
Thin skins
Productive - yields have to be controlled
Expresses itself differently depending on topography and soil (varying levels of tannin and fruitiness)
Vineyard management
Yields have to be controlled
Short pruning
- restraining vigour
- protecting from winds
Traditionally trained as bush vines (protection from wind)
- still on steeper slopes
Now increasingly grown on trellises (mechanization)
Mostly picked by hand (carbonic macaration required)
Interest in sustainable and organic viticulture
- Terra Vitis organisation
Organisation for sustainable and organic viticulture founded in Beaujolais
Terra Vitis
Chardonnay in Beaujolais
Usually in cooler northern part
- marl and limestone soils
(slowing ripening and retaining acidity)
Only around 2%
Winemaking
Chaptalization is common
Beajolais and Beaujolais Village
- Majority made by semi-carbonic maceration
- Maceration time on skins 4-5 days (9 days very good)
(enhances fruitiness and colour)
- Press wine is blended with free-run juice
(added colour and tannin)
- Aged briefly in stainless and released early
- Kirsch, banana, blueberry
Cru Beajolais
- may have extended maceration (10-20 days)
- grapes may be destemmed and crushed
followed by maceration on skins
- may be aged in small/large barrels (% of new as well)
- sometimes refered to as ‘Burgundian style’
- deeper colour, more body, higher level of tannin
Centre for low intervention winemaking
- Jules Chauvet
- Jean-Paul Thevenet
Key natural wine producers from Beajolais
- Jules Chauvet
- Jean-Paul Thevenet
Beaujolais Nouveau
Beaujolais Nouveau AOC
Beaujolais Nouveau Villages AOC
Primeur is authorised synonym for nouveau
Released 3rd Thursday in November following harvest
(normally no earlier than 15 December - all other AOCs)
Made by carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration
bottled 3-5 days after fermentation is finished
Some go through malo some not
Fining and sterile filtering is common
Moderate use of SO2 common (especially without MLF)
Appellations
Beaujolais AOC Beaujolais Village AOC Beaujolais Crus - Brouilly AOC - Chiroubles AOC - Fleurie AOC - Moulin-a-Vent AOC - Morgon AOC - (Saint-Amour AOC) - (Julienas AOC) - (Regnie AOC) - (Cote de Brouilly AOC) - (Chenas AOC)
Beaujolais AOC
Regional appellation covering whole area
- in practise south of the region
max yield 60 hl/ha
Can be sold from mid January following harvest
Beaujolais Villages AOC
Typically better quality - higher levels of ripeness
- Northern part of region
max yield 58 hl/ha
Individual village name may be put on label (usually not)
Typically purple colour, med intensity (fresh red cherry, raspberry, red plum, kitsch, banana)
med+ (high) acidity, light (med-) body, med alcohol, light (med) tannins
Some low intervention wines
Some may be aged in oak
Producers: Jules Desjourneys, Yvon Metras
Premium producers
Jules Desjourneys
Yvon Metras
number of Beaujolais Crus
10
Brouilly AOC
marginally warmer
lighter, more pefumed style
Max yield in Crus
58 hl/ha
Chiroubles AOC
highest altitude
lighter, fragrant, high acidity
Fleurie AOC
Sandy soils
Lighter more fragrant
More clay north (close to Moulin-a-Vent)
- heavier, fuller wines
Moulin-a-Vent AOC
most powerful, long-lived wines
Closer to Cote d’Or in style
Morgon AOC
south facing ‘Cote de Py’ vineyard
- pronounced intensity black cherry, red fruit, sufficient tannin to age a decade
Wine business
Region attracted investment from Burgundy (cheaper land, diversity of portfolio)
- quality raise
- less carbonic
- more oak
Average size vineyard 10 ha
- cooperatives 25%
- negociants
60% sold in France 40% export (Japan, USA, UK)
As Burgundy prices rise more attention gets to Beaujolais
Negociant - George Duboeuf (1964 first Nouveau)
Quarter of production sold as Nouveau
Important negociant and creator of Nouveau style
George Duboeuf
1964 Nouveau first release
River flowing through the region
Saone
Wind infuencing the region
Mistral
Explain how a wine producer may try and achieve concentration of flavours in Gamay grapes?
Vineyard management:
- Planting mid slope 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.
How long do Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages wines usually spend macerating on the skins?
4-5 days
True or false?
Press wine and free run juice wine are rarely blended in Beaujolais.
False
When can Beaujolais Nouveau be sold?
Third Thursday in November
What is the maximum yield for Beaujolais AOC in hL/ha.
60 hl/ha
How many Beaujolais Crus are there?
10
