To Beaujolais or not Beaujolais

In this edition we take a look at a wonderful assortment of summer wines. If you are like me, you know red wines are not only to be enjoyed three months out of the year, and whites for the other three.  To start, we taste through a flight of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais‘.  Do they deserve all the hype that has garnered the 2009 vintage, or not.  We promise to find out.  Next, we taste a mixture of Zinfandels.  Not the sticky, sweet wanna be “white” version that has become synonymous with the word zinfandel; but the dark red brooding variety that barbecues beg for.   Finally, we round out this edition’s tasting’s with a quirky mixture of white wines that prove to be anything but ordinary.  There is not a chardonnay or pinot grigio to be found here.

I must state that Beaujolais’ are one of my favorite wines, but unfortunately, it is also one of the most misunderstood wines of Burgundy.  In the 80’s the region kicked off mass marketing campaigns to sell it’s Beaujolais Nouveau’s. So successful was this marketing, that now every year on the third Thursday of November; designated “Beaujolais Nouveau Day,” we look for the release of these wines. Grapes for Beaujolais Nouveau are harvested in August-September, fermented for a short time and released right before Thanksgiving complete with a race to get them to market.  These wines are intended to be consumed before the new year and not aged at all. Beaujolais wines, made from the same Gamay grape are quite different.  These wines tend to be food friendly as well, light in body, fruitful  and have a firm acidity.  The biggest difference is the ability to age.

Beaujolais is the southernmost and largest district in Burgundy.  It accounts for about 50% of all wine production in Burgundy. The district can be divided into three major appellations; Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, and Cru Beaujolais.  About 50% of the district’s wine production comes from Beaujolais.  About half of this is sold as “Beaujolais Nouveau.”  Beaujolais-Villages produces about 25% of the district’s annual production.  The remaining 25% of wine production comes from the Cru Beaujolais.  This zone is situated in the northern third of the Beaujolais District and is considered the best terroir for the Gamay grape. Cru Beaujolais is made up of ten communes or villages.  These villages are: St-Amour, Julienas, Chenas, Moulin-a-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnie, Cote de Brouilly and Brouilly.

The 2009 vintage in Beaujolais was one of the best the region has ever seen,  or was it?  I seem to recall George Duboeuf; one of the top producers in Beaujolais; making similar claims about the 2003 vintage.  When the 2003’s were released, I tasted many bottles and put away a small amount of my favorites.  I only wish I was smart enough to put away more. Duboeuf claimed that the 2003 vintage was unlike any he had ever experienced.  The wines were touted as having great aging potential.  My experience had been that although Beaujolais were wonderful food friendly wines, their potential for longevity was very short lived.  George was right! These 2003 have been nothing short of amazing, and the better bottles are just coming into their own now.  If you are lucky enough to find a bottle, what a treat for thanksgiving dinner.  So what about 2009, can lightning strike twice so close together?  Duboeuf claims 2009 is “The Vintage of  a Lifetime.”  I would have to agree.  While some of his top wines are not pleasant to drink today, their futures will be talked about for a long time to come.

While Beaujolais have always been a favorite of mine, I hope you will welcome them into your daily regiments as well.  Take them on a hike with a loaf of bread and your favorite cheese, or try them with grilled chicken.  In this edition we reviewed eight of George Duboeuf’s wines.  All of the wines were truly wonderful in there own way.  The Beaujolais-Villages is probably the best indicator of the quality of the vintage as it can be made up of wines from the entire region.  It’s nose held a symphony of aromas that eluded to what lay ahead. While soft and quaffable in the mouth, it left me wanting more of what the nose had to offer.  The real gems were the Morgon, and the two Moulin-a-Vents’.  Two were cellar selections, and one was ready to take to the party.  The Moulin-a-Vent, Domaine des Rosiers would be a fine addition to any affair.  For full tasting notes on all the wines tasted,  please read through our review section.  Have a wonderful summer.

Tom Cook