Beaujolais Crus

Question 1

Brouilly

Answer 1

Largest cru

Style: Fruity, supple, early-drinking

Notes: Red berries, plum, light tannin

Soil: Varied – granite, schist, volcanic

Question 2

Côte de Brouilly

Answer 2

Located on Mont Brouilly (within Brouilly)

Style: More structured than Brouilly

Notes: Darker fruit, minerality, aging potential

Soil: Volcanic blue stone (“diorite”)

Question 3

Régnié

Answer 3

Newest cru (since 1988)

Style: Balanced, light floral character

Notes: Redcurrant, raspberry, medium body

Soil: Granitic

Question 4

Chiroubles

Answer 4

Highest-altitude cru

Style: Lightest, most aromatic

Notes: Floral (violet), bright red fruit, elegant

Soil: Granite, light and sandy

Question 5

Fleurie

Answer 5

Most floral cru (feminine style)

Style: Silky, elegant, perfumed

Southern part: sandy soils, light, fragrant wines

Northern part: next to Moulin-a-vent, more clay, wines heavier, lower acidity and more full-bodied

Notes: Strawberry, rose petal, violet

Soil: Pink granite

Question 6

Saint-Amour

Answer 6

Most northerly cru

Style: Wide range – from light & perfumed to structured

Notes: Strawberry, spice, sometimes mineral

Soil: Clay, limestone, granite

Question 7

Juliénas

Answer 7

Named after Julius Caesar

Style: Firm, robust, spicy

Notes: Cherry, spice, floral hints

Soil: Diverse – schist, granite, clay

Question 8

Chénas

Answer 8

Smallest cru

Style: Rare, serious, structured (like Moulin-à-Vent)

Notes: Rose, peony, forest floor

Soil: Granite, shallow soils

Question 9

Moulin-à-Vent

Answer 9

Most tannic, age-worthy

Style: Closest to Burgundy Pinot in structure

Notes: Black cherry, spice, leather with age

Soil: Manganese-rich granite

Question 10

Morgon

Answer 10

2nd largest; known for aging

Style: Deep, firm, complex

Notes: Black fruits, earthy (“morgonner” = develop Burgundian character)

Famous site: Côte du Py

Soil: Schist, decomposed rock