The mystique of the famous Burgundy wines from the Côte d’Ôr and Côte de Nuit like those of Domaine Romanée Conti, which can easily sell for $1000 a bottle, has unfortunately overshadowed the wonderful array of wines of the region, from Chablis in the north to Mâcon in the middle and Villefranche in the south. Among such wines, Beaujolais is probably both the most familiar yet the least valued; often wine lovers don’t even think of it as a Burgundy.
Largely this impression is the result of the giddy fad, beginning in the 1970s, for Beaujolais Nouveau, the just-made, unfinished, unaged fruity wine of autumn released in the third week of November, heavily promoted by the late Georges Duboeuf, who produced oceans of the stuff for parties that began when the wines (already stocked away) reached the stores. It was all a great deal of fun, and, though the fad for the Nouveau wines faded, cru Beaujolais from ten approved regions released many months, or even years, after vinification had trouble finding traction as a serious wine. It didn’t help that Beaujolais, like Chablis, were for a century the typical carafe wines served in Paris bistros.
T hat has changed somewhat with the importation of more high quality Beaujolais, which, if you’re talking bang for the buck, offer better value than most in Burgundy. I suppose one indication that the crus’ reputation is improving is that some of them now go for prices above $50 a bottle (though that’s still a long ways from Romanée-Conti or $100 Pommards and $130 Gevry-Chambertins. The use of carbonic maceration of the Gamay grape gives these Beaujolais crus their liveliness and aromatic charms. The minimum alcohol is 9% and 10% will allow the label to read “Supérieur.”
Unlike simple appellations that allow a label only to read Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages—all using the Gamay grape—the ten crus go by their regional names: St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly, each with its own appeal. It would take far more space than I have here to detail all the distinctions but Beaujolais 101 might simplify things like this:
Moulin-à-Vent is considered the heartiest, long-lived cru, though it does not have hard tannins. Morgon is also a sturdy red known for fine minerality as produced by the so-called “Gang of Four,” Jules Chauvet, Marcel Lapierre, Jean Follard and Guy Bréton; Fleurie, which takes its name from “flower,” is indeed favored for its floral bouquet, with producers Clos de Rolette and Domaine de Vissoux among the best of a wide range; the new girl on the block is Ann Sophie-Dubois, who’s gotten attention; Juliénas has a deepness and is regarded as a Beaujolais that ages particularly well; Côte de Brouilly and Brouilly are lighter in body but considered more elegant and complex, with Pierre Cotton on the Cote and Pierre Chermette in Brouilly at the top of many connoisseurs’ lists; St. Amour, made in the north of the appellation, is particularly favored for an intensity that will readily compare with far more expensive Burgundies from the Côte de Nuits; Chiroubles is a late-ripening region, but they show best after minimum aging; Régnié may not be among the best Beaujolais crus but it’s a good, solid, spicy example; Chenas has some minerality.
I have been drinking the 2019 vintage (which had a cool spring then heat waves in summer that caused yields to be low) of Beaujolais crus with just about everything. Certainly Morgon or St. Amour with red meats; Chiroubles with lighter meats and poultry; and Brouilly with salmon or trout. Here are some I’ve imbibed with great pleasure these past months.
2019 Couvent des Thorins ($29)—Made from Gamay from three vineyards, it’s got an earthy taste of the terroir and the summer’s heat gave it body while the fruit emerges like black cherries.
2019 Château du Moulin-à-Vent ($45)—With 13% alcohol this might be considered a true middleweight with depth and strength in a velvet glove that makes it smooth and very satisfying with veal and pork chops. Its price is a bit daunting, but it reveals just how good Beaujolais can be.
2019 'Champ de Cour' ($69)—This was the most expensive Beaujolais I’ve had in a long time, with less than 3,000 bottles and 300 magnums made. Its terroir is protected by harsh winds and the summer heat was ameliorated somewhat, giving this wine a real elegance for one from Moulin-à-Vent. It is ideal with the kind of game dishes you might otherwise serve a Chambertin with.
2019 'Les Vérillats' ($59)—Made from just one vineyard, at a higher altitude and from soil with a high granite content, which gives it a delightful minerality that makes it excellent with hearty stews full of vegetables.
2009 Château du Moulin-à-Vent ($38)—It’s unlikely you’ll find this easily at a wine store but I wanted to report on it because it gives the lie to the myth that Beaujolais cannot age for long. This wine is 12 years old, made from the grapes of five vineyards, at 13.5% alcohol, which has helped its longevity. It is no museum piece, for it still had vibrancy and was very soft and velvety. I enjoyed it with some mild French cheeses.
