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Did Somebody Say Beaujolais?

With wine snobbery so rampant these days, I’m not surprised that I recently found myself caught up in it. The other week, a member of our Wine Club posted a reply to a message that had requested a reasonable alternative for Merlot. He suggested Beaujolais Villages. I, perhaps too quickly, responded, asking how anyone could consider this simple carafe wine an alternative to the noble grape that made up some of the most expensive Bordeaux wines from Pomerol and St. Emilion. He defended his position and said simply that he did not regard Beaujolais-Villages as a substitute but merely as an alternative.

This exchange of messages forced me to take a closer look at Beaujolais. And I’m glad I did. When well made, this wine can be delicious and perfect for this time of year—even for the entire summer season. It’s easy to drink; its fruitiness and acidity make it ideal for picnics or backyard barbecues; and its straightforward flavors can be quite refreshing.

I should clarify that this feature covers only Beaujolais-Villages and the cru Beaujolais like Fleurie and Brouilly. My comments do not apply to the much hyped and, in my opinion, overly fussed about Beaujolais Nouveau that is released in mid November and causes a midnight dash to the first restaurant or bistro announcing "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!" Beaujolais Nouveau is a fun wine to be enjoyed for a few weeks and then forgotten until the next year when it arrives and the party starts all over.

Beaujolais is made entirely from the Gamay grape. Typically, its producers use a technique known as carbonic maceration, where the majority of the grapes in the fermenting vat are left whole in bunches on their stems. The weight from the upper bunches crushes the grapes at the bottom of the vat, which begin to ferment in the normal way. The carbon dioxide given off by the crushed grapes keeps air away from the uncrushed grapes and allows them to feed on themselves and extract flavor from the inner skins. After about a week, the uncrushed grapes are pressed and the juice is blended with that from the grapes at the bottom of the vat. This method accounts for Beaujolais’ fruitiness and relatively mild tannins.

The Beaujolais region lies to the south of Burgundy proper. There are quite a number of Beaujolais appellations. Wines in the southern part are covered by the appellation "Beaujolais." In the flat plains of the south, the soil is predominantly limestone and clay. Here the wine is of low alcohol content and meant to be drunk while it is young and fruity. Wines from the hillier northern half, where there is granite or schistous soil, are covered by the appellation "Beaujolais-Villages." The wine is superior to that from the southern half and generally fuller bodied and more flavorful. Beaujolais Villages is meant to be drunk within a year or two after the vintage. From good producers or negociants, these wines are good values and can be the perfect wine for a summer picnic or family gathering, drunk slightly chilled, and can even be served in tumblers. Be wary in restaurants when you see a Beaujolais-Villages more than two years of age.

The cru wines from Beaujolais are from the hilly regions. Because of the soil and the climate, these wines generally have considerably more character, body, and longevity. From north to south, these appellations are: Saint Amour, Julienas, Chenas, Moulin-a-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnie, Brouilly, and Cotes de Brouilly. Note that, on some of the crus, you may not even see the word "Beaujolais." The most full-bodied and longest-lived of the crus are the Moulin-a-Vent, Morgon, and Julienas. For a detailed discussion of the characteristics, differences, and producers of these crus, I recommend Robert Parker’s book, Burgundy. Without a doubt, the crus are worth the few dollars more and some might well be considered the poor man’s Burgundy.

When buying Beaujolais, look for the most recent vintages and make your selections from the major producers or negociants like Georges Duboeuf or Louis Jadot. If you're looking for extra special bottles of the cru wines and you trust your wine merchant, ask him or her to make a suggestion. If you're not sure how your wine store stores its wines, avoid old and dusty bottles even of those crus that age well like Moulin a Vent and Morgon.

When serving Beaujolais-Villages or the lighter bodied crus, you might give them a slight chill. And remember, these wines are not for sipping. They're meant to be drunk and enjoyed. You might also experiment with these wines and pair them with different foods. And then again, you might simply want a loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and brie.

For our tasting, we included a Beaujolais Villages and eight cru Beaujolais. Most of the wines were from the leading negociant of Beaujolais, Georges Duboeuf . We were also lucky enough to get some of the 1er Prix bottlings of his wines. These prize bottles are usually distributed to Duboeuf’s better customers and are worth seeking out. They are identified as such on the neck labels that also display the vintage.

As is our custom, we first tasted the wines by themselves and then accompanied by food, which for this tasting was grilled chicken that had been marinated in lemon juice and oil and accompanied by zucchini with fresh tomatoes and onions. You'll enjoy any of these wines with grilled meats, bistro fare, grilled tuna or salmon, and of course, with cheese.

1997 Louis Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages, $8.99

Light garnet in color and translucent, this wine has a big nose of jammy grapes. Smooth on entry and full of flavor, it has mild tannins and plum like flavors. It also has a nice finish. This is a gulpable wine. It was perfect with our meal and would also make a great accompaniment for burgers on the grill.

1997 Georges Duboeuf, Regnie, 1er Prix, $8.99

Garnet in color and jewel like, this wine has a subtle nose of strawberries. Full of red cherry flavor, this wine is quite forward with mild tannins and good body. It also has an adequate finish. We found this wine to provide a sort of counterpoint to the food.

1997 Georges Duboeuf, Julienas, 1er Prix, $9.99

Deep garnet in color with good legs, the wine has a black cherry nose. It’s fuller bodied and more dry, with somber flavors of raisins or figs. It has a good finish. One taster commented that the wine was like a "pillow to the food."

1997 Georges Duboeuf, Cote-de-Brouilly, 1er Prix, $10.99

Deep garnet in color with long legs, the wine has a blackberry nose. Smooth on entry, this wine is full of flavor, predominantly of blueberries, and full bodied. The wine has a perfect balance of tannin to fruit. It also has a very nice finish. This was definitely one of the stars of the tasting.

1997 Georges Duboeuf, Morgon, Jean Descombes, $9.99

Light garnet in color, the wine has a big strawberry nose with earthy undertones. It’s full bodied with jammy, beefy flavors and a good finish. We found that the wine was outstanding with the food. It became brighter and, as one taster said, "perked up." This wine should age rather well and would be worth returning to in a year or two.

1997 Georges Duboeuf, Moulin-a-Vent, Domain des Rosiers, $9.99

Deep garnet in color with long, long legs, this wine has a beautiful almost seductive nose of peaches and herbs. Upon tasting, one reviewer exclaimed "delicious." The wine has good body with some oak as well as some astringency. It has a delicate prosciutto di Parma like flavor along with some hints of herbs and a nice finish.

1997 Georges Duboeuf, Moulin-a-Vent, 1er Prix, $11.99

Dark garnet in color with good legs, the wine has a big nose of raspberries and cloves. It has plenty of body and on the palate delivers plenty of meaty flavors with good tannins. It finishes very well. This was another star of the tasting.

1997 Georges Duboeuf, Fleurie, Chateau des Deduits, $9.99

This wine is dark garnet in color and has long legs. It has a forward strawberry and floral nose. On entry, the wine is silky and packed with flavors of blackberries and black cherry surrounded by subtle tannins. One taster remarked: "It caresses the tongue." The wine also finishes quite well.

1997, Chateau de la Terriere, Brouilly, Cuvee Jules du Souzy, $17.99

Dark garnet in color with good legs, the nose is big, with red cherries and hints of wet paper. Silky on entry, the wine hits the palate with young fruit flavors that metamorphose to earthy, mushroom-like flavors. The wine is full bodied and finishes very well. This wine is better suited to lamb or beef than chicken. This was definitely one of the stars of this tasting and worth the relatively hefty price.

TableWine is a personal website and does not sell any wine. However, many of the wines we review are purchased from our local wine merchant, Wine & Spirit World. Their web site may help you locate a good number of our selections.

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