Beaujolais Flashcards
What Beaujolais Cru’s are the longest aging?
Morgon
Moulin-à-Vent
Chénas
What Beaujolais Cru is the smallest?
Chénas
What Beaujolais Cru is named after Julius Cesar?
Juliénas
What Beaujolais Cru is the northernmost?
Saint Amour
What Beaujolais Cru is the highest?
Chiroubles
What Beaujolais Cru is the newest?
Régnié
What Beaujolais Cru is the largest?
Brouilly
What Beaujolais Cru has slopes facing all directions?
Côte de Brouilly
What are the 12 AOCs of Beaujolais?
- Beaujolais AOC (regional)
- Beaujolais Villages AOC (38 villages)
- Saint Amour AOC
- Juliénas AOC
- Chénas AOC
- Moulin-à-Vent AOC
- Fleurie AOC
- Chiroubles AOC
- Morgon AOC
- Régnié AOC
- Côte de Brouilly AOC
- Brouilly AOC
How many AOCs in Beaujolais?
12
2/3 of all Beaujolais Nouveau production is bottled as what AOC?
Beaujolais AOC
1/3 is classified as Beaujolais Villages AOC
How much of the total Beaujolais production is Nouveau?
20%
When is the release of Nouveau?
The 3rd Thursday in November
Why is vatting time important in Beaujolais?
Longer vatting time gives:
- Deeper, richer pigented wine
- Increases the structure (tannins) & aromatics of the wine
What are the vatting times in Beaujolais for:
* Nouveau
* Beaujolais
* Beaujolais Villages
* Cru level
- Nouveau: 2-3 days
- Beaujolais: 4-6 days
- Beaujolais Villages: 5-9 days
- Cru level: 8-15 days
What flavors does carbonic maceration add to the wine.
Banana, cherry candy, raspberry and cranberry
What is the training method in the North & South Beaujolais areas?
- North: mainly gobelet also cordon & éventail
- South: guyot
What is the topography of the North and South Beaujolais areas?
- North: Mountains
- South: Gentle slopes & rolling plains
What are the soils of the North and South Beaujolais areas?
- North: Granite, schist, arène, gorrhe
- South: Clay/limestone, pierres dorées & river alluviums
What 3 things differentiate North and South Beaujolais areas?
soils
topography
training methods
What are the 2 rivers of Beaujolais?
The Saone & Nizerand rivers
The Nizerand separates North & South Beaujolais.
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Moulin-à-Vent?
- It is named after a local historical windmill
- Most full-bodied and tannic of all crus
- Soil: Arène, decomposed pink granite rich in manganese
- Has a tendency to become “Pinot-Like” locally called Pinoter
- Can last a decade
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Morgon?
- 2nd largest cru
- Named after a local town
- Soils: Roches Pourries (rotted rocks), decomposed schist rich in iron and manganese
- Flavors of ripe cherry, cherry jam & kirsch
- “Morgonner”/”Morgonne” = to pick up notes of forest floor (Sous Bois)
- Ageability: 5-10 years
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Chénas
- Smallest Cru
- Located on an ancient oak forest Chénas means oak tree
- Soil: Granite at elevation; clay & stone lower on slopes
- Described as “a bouquet of flowers”
What are the 3 full bodied Crus in Beaujolais that have structure and staying power?
- Chénas
- Moulin-à-Vent
- Morgon
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Brouilly?
- Takes its name from Mont Brouilly
- Southernmost of all crus
- Largest of all crus (represents 20% of all cru Area)
- Soil is decomposed diurite (green horns) blue black in color
What are the characteristics of Côte de Brouilly?
- Located on the slopes of Mont Brouilly
- Only cru with vineyards facing all directions
- Soil: decomposed diorite with some pink granite on the western slope
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Juliénas?
- Named after Julius Cesar
- Soils: granite veined with magnesium and porphyry (alluvial clay)
- Vineyards are south facing
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Régnié?
- It is the newest Beaujolais Cru
- Soil: Pink granite, decomposed schist & arène (weathered feldspar)
- Vineyards face east
What are the Characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Saint Amour?
- Northernmost Cru
- produces wines of both short and long maceration times
- wines tend to be in soft and light style
- Soils: granite and clay
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Fleurie?
- Named after a Roman Legionnaire
- 2 Distinct soil types: Pink Granite & Clay
- Wines are elegant and aromatic
- Considered most floral/feminine of all the Crus
What are the characteristics of the Beaujolais Cru Chiroubles?
- Highest in elevation & coolest
- It is the last to harvest
- Soil is granite and gorrhe
- Vineyards face southeast
- This Cru is considered benchmark Beaujolais
What are the 3 light bodied Crus of Beaujolais?
- Saint Amour
- Fleurie
- Chiroubles
What are the specifications on the Beaujolais Crus?
- 100% red & 100% Gamay
- Soils: Granite, schist & mineral sands
- Yields: Lowest in Beaujolais, Planting density is high
- Vines are short pruned & hand harvested
- Vatting time 8-15 days