Beaujolais, The Summer Wine

Getting serious about Beaujolais wines is almost a contradiction in terms. Not that the wines don’t reward some attention. Far from it. They differ from each other enough so that you can develop your own preferences and enjoy them greatly. But the wines are so pleasant, and so drinkable, that too much analysis can get in your way. With that warning in mind, let’s just cover some basics. First, the wines do differ from each other, as we’ll see. Their flavors and degree of lightness or depth are variable. But regardless of what producers may say, they are all light compared to other wines. Compare them to each other, then, not to the Bordeaux or Burgundy wines, or their sturdy and flavorful California counterparts, that you enjoy during colder weather.

Beaujolais wines are perfect for the summer, refreshing and flavorful. They are red wines (some white is produced, but it’s a tiny percentage of the total wines of the Beaujolais region), and here it is the gamay noir grape that is king. With few exceptions these wines are meant to be drunk early, certainly within two or three years of their vintage date. Also, as a general exception to the rule for other red wines, they are best enjoyed cool. Put them on ice for a couple of hours, then uncork a bottle and let the flavor develop in your glass. It will be far more enjoyable than the same bottle at room temperature. 

These wines are perfect with summer food, barbecues in particular. They add a light and gracious note to your summer grilling, and are also a festive touch when you have company over for an informal dinner. And as a final introductory note, they are relatively inexpensive, the best running from $6 to $13 a bottle. 

The Beaujolais region is about four hours from Paris by car (half that by TGV train), and just half an hour from Lyon. It’s really worth a visit. The region is picturesque, full of not only vineyards, but also good scenery, shops where the wines may be tasted, and bistros where the wines accompany informal French tavern food. Fitting the light mood of the region, the French fictional town Clochemerle, immortalized by the great comic film actor Fernandel, is said to have been modeled after a village in the Beaujolais. 

Lots of wine lovers know the Beaujolais nouveau (and Beaujolais Villages nouveau) wines and enjoy them greatly. This is a huge commercial windfall for the region, as the new wine appears around the world by special shipment early each November. It’s enjoyable froth, and half of all Beaujolais production each year appears as nouveau. That’s too bad, in a way, for this new wine doesn’t begin to compare in flavor to the bottled vintage Beaujolais wine that appears six to eight months later. 

There are 10 Beaujolais classified crus in addition to Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages. They are Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote-de-Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin a Vent, Regnie (a recent new classification) and Saint Amour. Let’s compare several of them. 

I’ll start with my personal favorite, Chiroubles, which is one of the lightest of the Beaujolais crus. In part I enjoy it so much because, having visited the region, I associate it with a splendid view of the Beaujolais valleys, looking towards the Alps. It is planted at a higher elevation than the other Beaujolais crus, and it has had a fine reputation for centuries. It has a nice bouquet and is very flavorful. 

Let’s contrast that wine directly with the sturdiest Beaujolais cru, Moulin a Vent. Again, Moulin a Vent is sturdy only by comparison with other varieties of Beaujolais. Within that context, it is a deeper wine. In contrast to most other Beaujolais wines, it rewards cellaring for several years, for it will continue to develop, its flavors unfolding over six or more years, and its color deepening. 

In good part, Moulin a Vent is made to age well. The wine is often matured in wooden barrels, and during the fermentation process, the juice is kept in contact with pips and grape skins, for the maximum tannins to be extracted, adding body and color to the wine, and making it necessary for you to age your bottles of Moulin a Vent in order for the tannins to soften so the wine is fully developed. 

And yes, there really is a windmill. It is located in the region, in Romaneche-Thorins, where it was built in the 15th century. It is said that it is in good running order, and tourists may visit it. From time to time the windmill has appeared on the label of this wine, most notably after a painting by Maurice Utrillo in 1923, which adorned the 1988, 1989 and 1990 vintages. Also in Romaneche is a fine wine museum that was opened in 1992 by Georges Duboeuf, the leading producer of quality Beaujolais wines. I haven’t yet seen it, but it is said to be the finest museum in the world devoted to Beaujolais wines. 

Having contrasted Chiroubles and Moulin a Vent, let’s taste two other Beaujolais crus, which are between those two in degrees of richness and body. Fleurie is the favorite of many people. Geographically it lies between Chiroubles and Moulin a Vent, and it has some of the characteristics of each one. It is rather light, aromatic and very flavorful, with excellent color. I wouldn’t keep it past a few years, but as a two or three year old wine it will give you and your friends a great deal of drinking pleasure. It is an ideal picnic wine, and that is not a putdown. 

Then we have Julienas, a sturdier wine, which you would expect for a wine from a region where winemaking has taken place for two thousand years. This wine is in fact said to be named for Julius Caesar. It has a fine bouquet and has a good ruby red color and, like Moulin a Vent, rewards some aging. The soils in this region vary, but the presence of a clay subsoil in this appellation demands that the wines be aged. Julienas wines have structure and are well made. 

If you only know Beaujolais through the nouveau wines, try several of these crus for a real summer treat.  They go well with virtually all summer meats, including poultry, barbecued ribs, delicatessen meats, and yes, hamburgers. Save some to go with a cheese and fruit platter at the end of your summer cookout. You’ll develop your own favorite wine and food combinations as you go along. 

And you won’t have to break the budget to do it.

If you enjoyed this article, you’ll love our ongoing discussion of  French

Bill Shepard learned to love the wines of Bordeaux when he served as Consul General there. You can read more about his life as a consular officer in “Can the U.S. Embassy Help in a Crisis?”

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