D3 France: Beaujolais

Question 1

Gamay represent which percentage of planted grapes?

Answer 1

98%

Question 2

What is the climate of Beaujolais?

Answer 2

Continental.

Slightly warmer than the rest of burgundy.

Question 3

What are the moderating influences on the climate in Beaujolais?

Answer 3

The Saone river

Cold mistral wins

Question 4

What are the negative impacts of the mistral wins?

Answer 4

It can affect flowering in the cold, damp early summer weather.
It can damage leaves and grapes towards the end of the ripening period

Question 5

Why is Gamay susceptible to damage from the strong mistral winds?

Answer 5

Because it has thin skins. The skins can be damaged at the end of ripening by the winds when the grapes skins are at their most vulnerable.

Question 6

Describe the soils and topography of the north of Beaujolais.

Answer 6

The northern part of the region is hilly at 200 to 500 m and has fast draining granite, schist and sandy soils. The Vineyards are on south and south east facing slopes.

Question 7

Why is harvest earlier in the north then for Beaujolais AOC wines?

Answer 7

Because of the fast draining soil’s
The south and south east facing slopes which maximize exposure.
As opposed to the south of the region where the land is flat and the soils are richer

Question 8

What mainly leads to the difference in styles of Beaujolais ones produced in the region?

Answer 8

The ripeness of the grapes.
This will be affected by the soil’s, the slopes, the aspect and reducing the number of buds to restrain high fertility of the Gamay variety.

Question 9

How are vines trained in Beaujolais?

Answer 9

Traditionally vines were trained as bushes, giving some protection from the wind, and this is still the case on the steeper slopes.

Vines are increasing increasingly trained on trellises to aid mechanization, especially where the aim is to make an expensive wines.

Question 10

Are most Gamay grapes picked by hand or machine?

Answer 10

Mostly picked by hand because whole bunches are required for most common form of wine making

Question 11

Where is Chardonnay usually found in Beaujolais?

Answer 11

In the area in the north of Beaujolais bordering the Macon villages appellation.

Question 12

On what types of soils does Chardonnay best perform in Beaujolais?

Answer 12

On the cooler marl or limestone soils that slow down the ripening, preserving acidity.

Question 13

What is the name of the association focused on sustainability and responsible grape growing which was formed in Beaujolais?

Answer 13

Terra Vitis

Question 14

The majority of Beaujolais is made by which fermentation method?

Answer 14

Semi carbonic maceration.

Question 15

Is chaptalization permitted?

Answer 15

Yes. It is common, particularly in the cooler years.

Question 16

According to AOC regulations when can wines normally be sold?

Answer 16

15 December.

Question 17

When are Beaujolais nouveau wines released for sale?

Answer 17

Third Thursday in November

Question 18

Describe how Beaujolais nouveau wines are made.

Answer 18

By carbonic or semi carbonic maceration.
Bottled 3 to 5 days after fermentation has finished.
Someone’s go through malolactic conversion while others do not.
Finding and sterile filtration and moderate to high use of SO2, Especially if the wine hasn’t gone through malolactic conversion to make sure it doesn’t happen later in the bottle.

Question 19

Where do the grapes for Beaujolais AOC ones come from?

Answer 19

Technically it is a regional appellation that covers the whole area of Beaujolais.
In practice the Vineyards are in the south of the region because those in the north of the region are in the Beaujolais Village area.

Question 20

What are the maximum yields for red wine for Beaujolais Villages and Beaujolais AOC?

Answer 20

58 hL/ha

60 hL/ha

Question 21

Which of the two Beaujolais Crus are much larger than the others?

Answer 21

Brouilly

Morgon

Question 22

Which Cru is the most southern and marginally warmer? Describe the style of wine.

Answer 22

Brouilly

Lighter more perfumed style of wine.

Question 23

Which of the Beaujolais crus is at the highest altitude? Describe the wine.

Answer 23

Chiroubles

Light and fragrant wines with marked acidity.

Question 24

Which Beaujolais Cru has two distinct styles. Describe the two styles north and south.

Answer 24

South
Sandy soil’s producing lighter and more fragrant wine which is the reputation of this area

North
Next to Moulin-à-Vent where the soils have more Clay, the ones become heavier, have lower acidity and are more full bodied.

Question 25

Describe the styles of Moulin-à-Vent

Answer 25

Produces the most powerful and long lived wines, closer in style to the Côte d’or red wines than to most other Beaujolais.

Question 26

Within which Beaujolais cru is the Côte de Py Vineyard? Why is it special?

Answer 26

Morgon.

It is a south facing Vineyard.

Question 27

Describe the style of wines made from Côte de Py.

Answer 27

Pronounced intensity black cherry fruit alongside red fruit and sufficient tannins to age for a decade in bottle.

Question 28

Why has there been an investment from burgundy growers in Beaujolais?

Answer 28

Because the land is cheaper. Because the growers are looking to diversify.

Question 29

What has the investment from Burgundy growers lead to in Beaujolais?

Answer 29

Increased drive for quality in the region. It has encouraged the trend away from carbonic maceration and the increased use of oak, especially in the Beaujolais Crus.

Question 30

What is the average size of holdings in Beaujolais?

Answer 30

10 ha

Question 31

What percentage of production are cooperatives responsible for?

Answer 31

25%

Question 32

Percentage of Beaujolais sold in France versus export?

Answer 32

60/40

Question 33

What are the most important channels for sales of Beaujolais in France?

Answer 33

In order of importance:
Direct sales
Specialist wine shops
Supermarkets
Hospitality sector

Question 34

What are the top three export markets for Beaujolais?

Answer 34

Japan, with a huge preference for nouveau
USA
UK
(with a preference for villages and crus)

Question 35

Why are burgundy buyers turning to Beaujolais?

Answer 35

As Burgundian Pinot Noir has risen in price, Beaujolais cru offers ones at a lower price point in a similar style

Question 36

Who was very important in promoting Beaujolais nouveau and creating new markets?

Answer 36

George Duboeuf
From 1964 onwards
He created new markets in France and around the world
Increases in sales of standard Beaujolais and the crus followed after consumers were introduced to Nouveau

Question 37

More recently where has there been a strong following for Beaujolais especially the cru?

Answer 37

Among sommeliers and wine lovers especially in the USA, Leading to Wine’s now reaching premium and super premium levels

Question 38

Who are France’s natural wine movement pioneers?

Answer 38

Négociant Jules Chauvet

Winemaker Marcel Lapierre