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
£11.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 19cs
Bottle
£11.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 21cs
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£14.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 36cs
Bottle
£15.25
Bottle 12 x 75cl 2cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£15.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 13cs
Bottle
£16.50
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 22cs
Bottle
£17.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 8cs
Bottle
£18.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 24cs
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 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
£20.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 9cs
Bottle
£22.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 7cs
Bottle
£22.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 28cs
A great example of serious, age-worthy Beaujolais, which will pinote (become Pinot-like) with time in bottle.
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£22.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 7cs
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 109cs
Bottle
£23.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 38cs
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 4cs
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle
£23.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 14cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 2cs
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 67cs
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2018)
Bottle
£25.00
Bottle 12 x 75cl 15cs
Century-old vines in heavy, clay-rich soils at the base of the Côte du Py (in the lieu dit Javernières) give a wine that is at once massive, with exceptionally fine medium to high tannins, yet light on its feet. The ’14 is shot through with fresh acidity, indicative of a stellar vintage described as ‘classique et gourmand’ by Louis-Benoît Desvignes.
For what it’s worth, the esteemed La Revue du vin de France rated this the top wine of all Beaujolais in 2014.
Bottle
£25.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Neal Martin - 31/08/2017
Bottle
£26.00
Bottle 6 x 75cl 4cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 14cs
Neal Martin - 31/08/2017
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 28cs
Bottle 6 x 75cl 1cs
Bottle
£27.50
Bottle 12 x 75cl 14cs
Magnum
£60.00
Magnum 6 x 150cl 5cs
Bottle
£37.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 18cs
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
£39.50
Bottle 6 x 75cl 6cs
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer
Magnum
£85.00
Magnum 3 x 150cl 2cs
Alex continue to work three days a week for his uncle, Morgon producer Jean-Marc Burgaud, while gradually adding to his own holdings. He vinifies traditionally (semi-carbonic) in stainless steel.
Will Heslop, Wine Buyer