Ch. 4 – Beaujolais

Question 1

Climate in Beaujolais

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Soil & Topography in Beaujolais

Answer 2

Hilly nothern part (200-500m)
- fast draining granite, schist, sandy soils
- south, south-east facing for maximum exposure

Southern part - flatter
- richer soils

Question 3

Gamay Noir

Answer 3

early budding (spring frost)

Susceptible to millerandage (damp, 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)

Question 4

Vineyard management in Beaujolais

Answer 4

Yields have to be controlled

Traditionally trained as bush vines (protection from wind)
- still on steeper slopes

Now increasingly grown on trellises (mechanization)

Mostly picked by hand (need whole bunches)

Question 5

Winemaking in Beaujolais

Answer 5

Chaptalization is common

Beaujolais and Beaujolais Village
- Majority made by semi-carbonic maceration
- Maceration time on skins 4-5 days
- Press wine is blended with free-run juice
- Aged briefly in stainless and released early
- Kirsch, banana, blueberry

Cru Beaujolais
- extended maceration (10-20 days)
- grapes may be de-stemmed and crushed followed by maceration on skins
- may be aged in barrels (% new)
- sometimes refered to as ‘Burgundian style’
- deeper colour, more body, higher level of tannin

Centre for low intervention winemaking

Question 6

Beaujolais Nouveau

Answer 6

Beaujolais Nouveau AOC
Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau AOC

Released 3rd Thursday in November following harvest

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)

Question 7

Appellations in Beaujolais

Answer 7

Beaujolais AOC
Beaujolais Village AOC
Beaujolais Crus (10 total)
- Brouilly AOC (warmer.. lighter, perfumed)
- Chiroubles AOC (high altitude.. lighter, fragrant, high acidity)
- Fleurie AOC (sandy soils.. lighter, fragrant.. clay in the north.. fuller body)
- Moulin-a-Vent AOC (powerful, long-lived, like Cote d’Or)
- Morgon AOC (south-facing Cote de Py vineyard.. can age for a decade)

Question 8

Beaujolais AOC

Answer 8

Regional appellation covering whole area
- in practise south of the region

max yields are fairly high

Can be sold from mid January following harvest

Question 9

Beaujolais Villages AOC

Answer 9

Typically better quality - higher levels of ripeness
- Northern part of region

slightly lower max yields

Individual village name may be put on label (usually isn’t)

Typically purple colour, med intensity (fresh red cherry, raspberry, red plum, kitsch, banana)
med+ (high) acidity, light (med-) body, med alcohol, light (med) tannins

Question 10

Wine business in Beaujolais

Answer 10

Region attracted investment from Burgundy (cheaper land, diversity of portfolio)
- quality raise
- less carbonic
- more oak

Average size vineyard 10 ha
- cooperatives 25%
- negociants

40% exported (Japan, USA, UK)

As Burgundy prices rise more attention goes to Beaujolais

Negociant - George Duboeuf (1964 first Nouveau)

Quarter of production sold as Nouveau