Beaujolais
Beaujolais is almost entirely planted with the Gamay grape and produces mostly red wines. Around 70 million litres of Beaujolais are produced each year, or two-and-a-half times the entire wine production of the rest of Burgundy. More than half of this is sold as Beaujolais Nouveau, although an Aladdin's trove of gloriously satisfying wines exist amongst the 10 named village crus that occupy a 15-mile strip of granite hills to the north.
The Beaujolais region occupies 22,000ha between Mâcon and Lyon, and spans 34 miles from north to south. Around 70 million litres of Beaujolais are produced each year, or two-and-a-half times the entire red and white wine production of the rest of Burgundy put together. More than half of this is sold as Beaujolais Nouveau, and released on the third Thursday of November following each harvest.
Beaujolais is almost exclusively planted with the Gamay grape, and produces mostly red wines. A small amount of white Beaujolais is produced from Chardonnay (or Aligoté) while a handful of Beaujolais rosés can also be found.
It is one of life's injustices that this beautiful wine region is forever associated in most people's minds with Beaujolais Nouveau, a thin and dilute wine that has more to do with marketing than actual substance. However there is an Aladdin's trove of gloriously satisfying wines to be found amongst the 10 named village crus that form the spiritual home of the fresh, fruity Gamay grape.
From north to south, St Amour, Juliénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié (a cru since 1988), Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly are situated along the 15-mile strip of granite hills to the north of the region. They range from light, lively and fragrant to rich and velvety. While most Beaujolais should be drunk as soon as possible, the crus are infinitely more concentrated and have much more personality. They can be kept for up to 10 years, at which age the best examples resemble mature Pinot Noir.
At its best simple Beaujolais is fruity and eminently drinkable, especially when lightly-chilled in summer. Most Beaujolais displays a pear-drop edge to its soft red fruit, and often notes of banana and bubble gum too. These traits come largely from the vinification method (semi-carbonic maceration) rather than the Gamay grape itself, where a swift fermentation highlights the aromatics and fruit, while minimising the tannins. Amongst the top crus, however, there has been a return to more traditional Burgundian vinification methods, and even oak ageing.There are five classifications of Beaujolais: Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais, Beaujolais Supérieur, Beaujolais Villages, and the 10 Beaujolais crus. As with the rest of Burgundy, the producer's name on the bottle is often the most important factor.
Recommended producers: Michel Chignard, Jean-Claude Desvignes, Olivier Merlin, Alain Michaud.
Prices:
Bottle
£11.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 6cs
Bottle
£13.95
Bottle
£14.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 48cs
Bottle
£15.25
Bottle 12 x 75cl 12cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£15.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 19cs
This cuvée is hand-harvested; fermentation is 100% natural; and the wine is aged for 13 months in old oak foudres.
Will Heslop, Buyer. Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Bottle
£16.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 10cs
Bottle
£17.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 12cs
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£17.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 1cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
The excellence of Cru Beaujolais is something I have held dear for some time, but its ageing potential was first brought to my attention when I was served two Moulin-à-Vent wines from 1961 and 1962 produced by Camille Giroud. The freshness and complexity of these wines was simply astonishing and I have since made it something of a personal mission to return these great wines to their rightful place in the cellars and on the tables of the most discerning wine drinkers. The wines in our offer cover a range of styles; whole-bunch, de-stemmed, oaked, unoaked, elegant and floral, dense and structured. This almost endless variety and versatility is what is most fascinating about Gamay grown on Beaujolais’s volcanic soils. What the wines have in common, however, is that they all offer excellent value for money and great drinking pleasure.
Bottle
£18.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 12cs
Magnum
£39.95
Magnum 6 x 150cl 6cs
The 2015 Côte du Py is virtually opaque – the first indication of its remarkable concentration. The nose is relatively open with aromas of blue fruit and nutmeg, as well as a telltale sign of carbonic maceration: a beguiling, high-toned scent somewhere between kirsch and watercolour paint. In contrast, the palate is so tightly wound that it calls for decanting at least an hour before service. But once its muscular tannins have begun to relax, the wine’s finesse hoves into view. This is as full-bodied and powerful as Beaujolais comes, but its mouthwatering acidity provides balance.
If you can resist, this is likely to peak in 3+ years time, when it will make a sensational accompaniment to roast meat or game.
Will Heslop - Wine Buyer, March 2017
Bottle
£18.50
The theme of cheerful red and blue fruit continues on the palate. Riper and less austere than, say, the cuvée Godefroy, but with the same beguiling saline character to the finish.
Try it with carpaccio or tartare de bœuf.
Will Heslop, Buyer. Berry Bros. & Rudd
Bottle
£18.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 7cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£19.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 5cs
Bottle
£19.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl 9cs
This wine shows the depth and generosity associated with the clay-rich Javernieres vineyard at the foot of the Cote du Py. Rich purple with a most impressive density of fruit, this is but a babe in arms at the moment. And yet, the vast array of fruit in the mouth shows the potential, especially with the very fine long finish. Drink now to 2020.
Bottle
£19.95
Bottle
£20.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 6cs
Bottle
£22.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 30cs
Bottle
£22.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 31cs
La Rochelle is an extraordinary vineyard for numerous reasons. Its eighty-year old vines are planted at a density of 12,000 per hectare (10,000 gives one metre between each vine). The granite bedrock lies close enough to the surface to peak through in places. The consequences for us, the lucky drinkers, include a pronounced mineral character to wine. In a warm vintage like 2015, it renders La Rochelle reminiscent of something from the Northern Rhône – let’s not forget, Moulin à Vent is, geographically, much closer to Côte-Rôtie than the Côte d’Or.
In short, this is a cheerful, supremely enjoyable wine, with a rare degree of complexity and serious capacity to develop over the next decade and beyond.
Will Heslop, Buyer. Berry Bros. & Rudd
Bottle
£22.95
Bottle 6 x 75cl 13cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
The palate is medium-bodied with supple black fruit on the entry, but the back end exerts quite a grip. It does not quite have the panache of other vintages that I have tasted, but it is still an impressive Moulin-à-Vent that will repay those with the patience to cellar for several years.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - robertparker.com - Apr 2015
Bottle
£23.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 110cs
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - robertparker.com - Apr 2015
Bottle
£23.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 17cs
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 158cs
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 31cs
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 122cs
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 26cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 3cs
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
The excellence of Cru Beaujolais is something I have held dear for some time, but its ageing potential was first brought to my attention when I was served two Moulin-à-Vent wines from 1961 and 1962 produced by Camille Giroud. The freshness and complexity of these wines was simply astonishing and I have since made it something of a personal mission to return these great wines to their rightful place in the cellars and on the tables of the most discerning wine drinkers. The wines in our offer cover a range of styles; whole-bunch, de-stemmed, oaked, unoaked, elegant and floral, dense and structured. This almost endless variety and versatility is what is most fascinating about Gamay grown on Beaujolais’s volcanic soils. What the wines have in common, however, is that they all offer excellent value for money and great drinking pleasure.
Bottle
£25.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 71cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle
£26.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 18cs
Magnum
£52.00
Magnum 3 x 150cl 6cs
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - robertparker.com - Dec 2015
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 31cs
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 38cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Magnum
£35.00
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer