Beaujolais

Question 1

Beaujolais Appellations

Answer 1

• Beaujolais Nouveau AOC / Beaujolais Villages Nouveau AOC
• Beaujolais AOC
• Beaujolais Villages AOC / Beaujolais Villages + Village name AOC
• Beaujolais Crus (each their own AOC): 10 individual crus

Question 2

1. Number of Beaujolais Crus

2. Names of the main 5

Answer 2

1. Total 10 Beaujolais Crus
2. From North to South:

• Moulin-À-Vent AOC
• Fleurie AOC
• Chiroubles AOC
• Morgon AOC
• Brouilly AOC

Plus: Chenás AOC, Julienás AOC, St Amour AOC, Regnié AOC, Côté de Brouilly AOC

Question 3

Fathers of Natural wine movement in Beaujolais:

Answer 3

Jules Chauvet

Jean-Paul Thévenet

Question 4

Winemaking technique in Beaujolais:

Answer 4

Carbonic/ Semi-carbonic maceration, especially for Nouveau wines

Traditional winemaking more frequently now for villages wines and especially for the Crus

Question 5

Style of semi-carbonic maceration wines:

Answer 5

Pear drops, kirsch & banana aromas. Red fruit.

Brighter colours and less tannin extraction. Softening of malic acid.

Question 6

Good quality low intervention producers:

Answer 6

Yvon Métras

Jules Desjourneys

Question 7

Beaujolais location:

Answer 7

South of the Mâconnais and above Lyon

Question 8

Beaujolais Climate:

Answer 8

Continental - but warmer than Burdundy

Question 9

Beaujolais Rainfall:

Answer 9

740 mm/year

Adequate for grapegrowing

Question 10

Beaujolais geographic landmark:

Answer 10

River Saone

*Acts as extreme temperature moderator

Question 11

Beaujolais weather hazards:

Measures to combat them?

Answer 11

• Rain: Problems of fungal diseases
• Cold Mistral Winds:
  Can damage flowering in cold, damp spring weather –> lead to millerandage
  Can damage leaves and berries at the end of the season, affecting yield

Measures:

• Low vine training
• Vine orientation

Question 12

Beaujolais soils & topography:

Answer 12

Haut Beaujolais (North):

• Hilly
• Granite, schits, sandy soils (–> fast draining and warming) (many colors)
• South / South-East facing slopes
• -> Earlier harvest than Beaujolais Bas

Bas Beaujolais (South):

• Flatter
• More clay
• More rich soils

Question 13

Beaujolais main grape variety:

Answer 13

Gamay Noir á Jus Blanc (98%)

A tiny bit of Chardonnay at the North

Question 14

Characteristics of Gamay:

Answer 14

• Early budding, early ripening
• Yields needs to be controlled to achieve ripe, concentrated, quality grapes
• -> Short pruning helps control the high fertility

Question 15

Beaujolais vine training:

Answer 15

• Traditionally Gobelet (bush) but now more trellised to aid mechanization - especially in inexpensive wines
• Gobelet / bush trained is still the case in the steep slopes

Question 16

Beaujolais - grape picking:

Answer 16

Mostly by hand - required for the preferred vinification technique: Carbonic Maceration

Question 17

Winemaking of Beaujolais AOC, Beaujolais Villages AOC:

Answer 17

• Picking: Whole bunches
• Chaptalisation: Common, especially in cooler years
• Cold soaking: 5-6 for Beaujolais Villages, longer (6-9 days) for higher quality
• Fermentation: Carbonic / Semi carbonic
• Press: Pressed wine is normally blended with free-run wine, as it gives colour and tannins
• Ageing: Briefly in stainless steel
• Reseased early

Question 18

Beaujolais - Why maceration on the skins?

Answer 18

To enhance the fruitiness of the wine
Add depth of colour
–>Make a wine for early consumption

Question 19

Dry tasting note of inexpensive Beaujolais:

Answer 19

Red fruit, characteristick kirsch, banana and blueberry aromas.

Question 20

Winemaking of Beaujolais Crus:

Answer 20

Semi-carbonic maceration

Longer maceration time (10-20 days)

ALTERNATIVE:

• Grapes destemmed
• Crushed
• Cold soaking
• Fermentation
• Ageing in small or large barrels
• Possibility of some new oak
• -> (Higher production costs)
• ->”Burgundian style”: Deeper in colour, fuller body, higher tannins than the ones made by semi-carbonic maceration.

Question 21

Characteristics of carbonic/semi-carbonic maceration:

Answer 21

Kirsch, banana, blueberries aromas

Question 22

Winemaking of Beaujolais Nouveau AOC, Beaujolais Villages Nouveau AOC:

Answer 22

Fast winemaking: –> Early consumptioin

• Short maceration on the skins
• Carbonic / semi-carbonic maceration
• Press (free-run & press juice blended)
• MLF: Some yes, some no
• Fining & filtration: YES
• High use of SO2 (important if no MLF)
• Rapidly bottled and released

Question 23

Release date of Beaujolais Nouveau AOC & Beaujolais Villages Nouveau AOC:

Answer 23

• Third Thursday of November of the same harvest year

Question 24

Maximum yields in Beaujolais:

Answer 24

• Beaujolais AOC: 60 hL/Ha

- Beaujolais Villages AOC: 58 hL/Ha

Question 25

Dry tasting note of Beaujolais Villages AOC: | And Low Intervention wines

Answer 25

- Purple colour, medium intensity fresh red cherry, raspberry, red plum + kirsch, banana, medium(+) to high acidity, light to medium(-) body, medium alcohol and light to medium tannins. Good to very good quality Inexpensive to mid-priced LOW INTERVENTION: - Medium(+) to pronounced intensity aromas and flavours - Medium tannins - Very good to outstanding - Premium to super-premium priced (Crus)

Question 26

Brouilly AOC - Style:

Answer 26

Beaujolais Cru Large area, with 4 different kinds of soils that give different styles: From tannic and robust to light and perfumed. Overarching style is fruitiness and medium-weight approachability, with sweet black cherry notes backed with warm spices and occasional floral elements. Tannins are generally soft and round, and usually well-balanced against a gentle but present acidity.

Question 27

Other 5 Crus of Beaujolais:

Answer 27

Julienás AOC, Chenás AOC, Saint-Amour AOC, Regnie AOC, Côte de Brouilly AOC

Question 28

Why some Burgundy producers have decided to invest in Beaujolais? Consequences?

Answer 28

- To diversify portfolio - Some vineyards within the crus have Very High reputation - Price of the land is cheaper - -> Quality increased - -> Moved away from semi-carbonic maceration towards traditional winemaking (Burgundian style of Beaujolais) - -> Encouraged increased use of oak - especially in the Crus

Question 29

Beaujolais % of sales through cooperatives:

Answer 29

25% (Beaujolais is a big territory with around 100 communes and a lot of small vineyards owners, with an average size of holdings of 10 hectares)

Question 30

Beaujolais market share in France: Channels:

Answer 30

France: 60% 1. Direct sales 2. Specialist shops 3. Supermarkets Hospitality

Question 31

Beaujolais market share in France: Channels:

Answer 31

France: 60% 1. Direct sales 2. Specialist shops 3. Supermarkets 4. Hospitality

Question 32

Beaujolais Export market share: Top 3 markets:

Answer 32

Export: 40% 1. Japan (Nouveau style) 2. USA (Villages & Crus) 3. UK (Villages & Crus)

Question 33

What proportion of Beaujolais does the Nouveau style represent?

Answer 33

1/4

Question 34

Beaujolais pricing:

Answer 34

- Very competitive - especially when compared to Burgundy - Recently gaining track and demand in between sommeliers and wine lovers, causing a rise in pricing - especially the crus (reaching premium and super-premium prices)

Question 35

Important producers:

Answer 35

Georges Duboeuf Yvon Métras (low intervention) Jules Desjourneys (low intervention)