Beaujolais

Question 1

What is the climate of Beaujolais?

Answer 1

Continental

Question 2

Beaujolais overlaps the southern part of which other subregion in Burgundy?

Answer 2

The very northern part of Beaujolais overlaps a bit of the southernmost portion of the Mâconnais.

Question 3

What is the red grape grown in Beaujolais?

Answer 3

Gamay

Question 4

In what type of soils are the best red wines in Beaujolais grown?
Why?

Answer 4

If not well managed, Gamay can produce large yields, which result in lower-quality wines.

= Best wines are made from grapes grown in the granitic soils that have low levels of nutrients.

Question 5

What is the traditional training method in Beaujolais?

Answer 5

The vines are pruned to spurs around the head, and then the shoots are tied together, to hold them vertically.

However, an increasing number of grape growers are now training their vines along wires allow for mechanisation.

Question 6

Gamay
3,5,7,12

Answer 6

3 Low-medium levels of body
5 Low-medium levels of tannin
7 Aromas of raspberry and cherry fruit.
12 Lightest styles can served lightly chilled.

Question 7

What is the hierarchy of quality wines in Beaujolais?

Answer 7

From highest to lowest:

Crus of Beaujolais (North and west)
Beaujolais-Villages (East and south)
Beaujolais (East and south)

Question 8

How are the soils different from northern Beaujolais to southern Beaujolais?

Answer 8

Northern and Western Beaujolais has more granite soils, and has more rolling hills than the south.

Southern and Eastern Beaujolais is on an alluvial plain of the River Saone with sandy soils, and it is flatter than in the north.

Question 9

Beaujolais and Beaujolais Nouveau use what methods?

Potential for aging?

Answer 9

Carbonic maceration/semi-carbonic maceration, not traditional method.

Beaujolais Nouveau is intentionally made for early drinking.

Question 10

When can Beaujolais Nouveau be released?

Answer 10

Beaujolais Nouveau can only be released after the third Thursday of November the same year of harvest.

Question 11

Beaujolais Nouveau cannot be sold after ____ the year after harvest.

Answer 11

August 31

Question 12

Grapes for Beaujolais Nouveau can only come from where?

Additionally, where are the grapes NOT allowed to come from?

Answer 12

Beaujolais Nouveau wines can only be of Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages quality.

The 10 Crus of Beaujolais may NOT be sold as Beaujolais Nouveau.

Question 13

Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau
3,5,7

Answer 13

3 Light in body
5 Light in tannin
7 Red berry fruit, Kirch, banana and cinamon like spice from carbonic maceration.

Question 14

How many villages lie within the Beaujolais-Villages AOP?

Often single or blended?

Answer 14

39 villages

Blended across villages
= individual villages are rarely seen on labels.

Question 15

How many Crus of Beaujolais are there?
Which ones with the greatest production?

Answer 15

10

From north to south:
・Moulin-à-Vent
・Fleurie
・Morgon
・Brouilly

Question 16

Which Crus of Beaujolais offer wines with the most structured wines?

Answer 16

Morgon
Moulin-à-Vent

= These wines can improve with bottle-aging.

Question 17

Which Crus of Beaujolais offer wines that are lighter and more perfumed styles?

Answer 17

Brouilly
Fleurie

Question 18

Will red wines from Beaujolais display heavy notes of oak?

Answer 18

No, the reds from Beaujolais will rarely, if ever, display oaky notes as the wines are fermented and aged in large vats.

Question 19

Methods used in Beaujolais Crus

Answer 19

・Many of these wines undergo a crushed-fruit fermentation
・Some will receive oak aging, often in large vats rather than casks.

Question 20

What techniques can they use to give the wine brighter fruit aromas?

Answer 20

・Semi-carbonic maceration
・Small proportion of whole bunches