THURSQUEEN WORLD TOUR: BEAUJOLAIS

If you’ve been following this blog for a long time, you've probably noticed that the French wine regions I’ve touched on have been relatively few and far between.

One of the chief goals of Thurstqueen is to give visibility to lesser-known wine regions, grapes, and styles of wine so you can hack your wine drinking game and save a few bucks. But if we’re talking about saving money, there is probably no other region that packs quite the punch in terms of dollar for dollar value as Beaujolais. Beaujolais is both the name of a wine region in France, and the name of the wine that comes out of it.

I love me a good glass of Beauj (or as some call it, Bojo.) Beaujolais is great because it’s probably one of the most versatile wines around and you can pair it with trickier cuisine like salads, sushi, and ramen. Texturally, Beaujolais is light and drinkable with very little tannins. Beaujolais is like a really talented musician, it can play background music and not compete with any dish but can also do a kick ass solo and steal the show.

Bojo has plenty of bright red, poppin’ fruit - like cherries and such - and lovely acidity. The acidity makes it the perfect thirst quenching wine to drink casually. Conversely, that acidity can cut really nicely through fattier, heartier fare like a good cheeseburger.

THE HISTORY OF BEAUJOLAIS

The Romans planted the first vines in the Beaujolais region thousands of years ago. This region sits just a bit south of its more famous sibling, Burgundy. But don’t be fooled, the wines from Beaujolais are friggin’ awesome (and you can often score some really good bottles for a heck of a deal.)

As a region, Beaujolais had a bad rap. This dates back to 1395, when the Duke of Burgundy outlawed cultivation of the Gamay grape in Burgundy, calling it “bad” and “disloyal.” The Duke got in a tizzy because he believed the early ripening Gamay made worse quality wine then the finicky Pinot Noir. Basically, it was the 14th Century version of the Sideways situation, and Gamay faced just as much hate as Merlot.

HOW BEAUJOLAIS IS MADE

Part of what makes Beaujolais so uniquely drinkable and soft is a little process called Carbonic Maceration. And the truth is? You can’t really talk about Beaujolais without discussing Carbonic Maceration.

WHAT IS CARBONIC MACERATION?

Carbonic Maceration is a little process where grapes are picked whole cluster (which looks like this)

Then the grapes are all thrown into a closed fermenter tank that’s usually stainless steel or something and the tank is pumped full of CO2 (or Carbon Dioxide Gas.) Eventually, the berries themselves ferment from within, producing alcohol. Once the tank reaches a certain level of alcohol (typically two degrees) the grapes burst and regular fermentation begins.

WHY DOES CARBONIC MACERATION MATTER?

Carbonic Maceration creates certain qualities in the wine, just like aging a wine in oak or steel or fiberglass. Typically, wines that undergo Carbonic Maceration (us wine folk just say, “Carbonic”) tend to be lower in tannin, juicy, and soft. These wines have a sort of bouncy quality to them, with aromas of bubble gum, red cherry, cinnamon, or vanilla.

THE TYPES OF GRAPES GROWN IN BEAUJOLAIS

Beaujolais is a lighter-bodied red wine lover’s paradise. If you love Pinot Noir, Etna Rosso, and soft red wines that are low in tannin - but high in acid - you will love Beaujolais. The main grape that’s the star of the show here is Gamay, a fruity little red grape with aromas of raspberries, violet, and a little bit of banana. If you’re a white wine lover looking to venture into the world of reds, I suggest giving Gamay a shot.

Other important grapes in the Beaujolais region are Chardonnay. You can find some great, inexpensive versions of Chardonnay here if you’re a Chablis fan. In addition to Chardonnay, other grapes that are popular in Beaujolais are Aligoté, Pinot Gris - they call it Pinot Beurot here, Pinot Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF BEAUJOLAIS

Beaujolais is a lot warmer than Burgundy. The soil here is pretty much composed of 100% granite, but there are the occasional outcroppings of other stuff like limestone and volcanic schist. What’s really important to take into consideration when purchasing your next bottle of Bojo or ordering a glass of Beauj at a restaurant is to consider what Crus its in.

The great thing about Bojo is sure, you could drink the regular stuff like Beaujolais Village BUT, Beaujolais is priced so fairly that you can afford to dip into the 10 individual crus of the region. That’s not really something you can do in a place like Chablis, or Burgundy for that matter. Trying the Bojo crus is a great way to get a lay of the land - or a taste of the land, if you will. Each crus produces a very different style of wine.

Without further ado, let’s touch on the 10 Crus of Beaujolais - in no particular order.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 1: CHENAS

(THE RAREST ONE)

Chenas is the smallest and rarest of the 10 crus. Like a Hermes Birkin Bag or a good boyfriend in any major city, it’s very hard to find. The Chenas crus was once surrounded by forest, before the trees were removed and planted with vines. People say the wines of Chenas tend to have aromas of roses and spices with loads of minerality. Beaujolais from Chenas can age for a couple years as well. If you’re a Pinot Noir-lover, Chenas is a great Crus to buy Bojo from.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 2: SAINT-AMOUR (THE SMALLEST ONE)

Sales for Saint-Amour Bojo tend to spike every year during Valentine’s day, because people are corny like that. Saint-Amour is a crus of extremes. It can either be super light or really intense (that’s kind of what love is like though, amirite?) Though Saint-Amour is the smallest crus, there’s a lot of diversity here, which explains the varied characteristics of the wine. I would suggest spending your money more on other crus that are a bit more consistent and less commercial, as sometimes this region can be a bit hit or miss.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 3: JULIÉNAS

(MY PERSONAL FAVE)

I know I’m not supposed to pick favorites here, but boy I really do love Juliénas. Out of all the crus it just seems to punch well above its weight in terms of value. Juliénas is friendly, sassy, earthy and fruity. Juliénas used to be the “hipster kid,” crus, because not a lot of people were paying attention to it, so you could snag a bunch of Juliénas wines for a screaming value. Now, people are catching wind of this awesome crus, but the wines are still on point.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 4: MOULIN-Á-VENT

(BEYONCÉ BEAUJOLAIS - THE QUEEN)

Moulin-Á-Vent is a star of a crus that is sure to impress. Most Bojo should be enjoyed between 2-5 years, but some Moulon-Á-Vent can last 10-50 years! Isn’t that crazy??? Moulin-Á-Vent wines are packed with power and major attitude. They ooze confidence, personality and elegance. If you’re a fan of Grand Crus Burgs, don’t be afraid to fork out some extra dough for these beauties, as they tend to tilt towards the profile of Pinot Noir with age.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 5: FLEURIE

(FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LOVE SUPER PRETTY FLOWERS)

Fleurie Bojo is like Natalie Portman in a Miss Dior Cherie ad. Pretty, etherial, and yes, I’m gonna go here, unabashedly feminine - if your version of feminine is pink petty coats, lace, etc. Fleurie vines are planted at a bit higher altitude, so they create a delicate and nuanced wine. A great place to start if you’re looking to give Bojo a go.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 6: CHIROUBLES

(EASY-GOING, NETFLIX & CHILL CRUS)

Another Crus that is super light, fruity and flirty. Chiroubles Bojo is another perfect gateway Crus, if you’re learning to see what Beaujolais is all about and if it’s worth spending your dough on. Many consider Chiroubles to be the “classic,” and “ultimate” expression of Beaujolais.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 7: MORGON

(THE ANGSTY, KURT COBAIN CRUS)

Morgon would be similar to Moulin-Á-Vent in terms of heavier tannins, but Morgon is definitely more on the rustic side of the spectrum. A Bojo that can really pack a punch! Like Moulin-Á-Vent, Morgon can age a bit longer than say a Fleurie or Chiroubles. You can probably hang on to one of these crus for 5-10 years depending on the producer.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 8: RÉGNIE

(THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK CRUS)

Régnie is the youngest of all the Bojo crus, and has been labeled as “the one to watch.” A lot of the wines that come out of this crus are super lush, fruity, and friendly wines. Because this is a crus on the rise, you can probably find a lot of hip, yet-to-be discovered producers from Régnie, if you’re all about those hidden gems. For vintage record collectors and thrift store shoppers alike!

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 9: BROUILLY

(THE PROM QUEEN OF ALL THE CRUS)

Brouilly is charming, approachable, and easy drinking. If Brouilly was a person, it probably was on the cheer squad in high school and was a member of the popular crowd. It’s a type of wine people gravitate to for its easy-drinking qualities and relatively uncomplicated nature. Because a lot of soils in this crus are volcanic, there’s a delicate minerality and earthiness to the wines that come from Brouilly. Drink young.

BEAUJOLAIS CRUS 10: CÔTES DE BROUILLY

(THE DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH CRUS)

Côtes de Brouilly wines are lighter and more delicate than the earthier, more mellowed-out Brouilly Bojo. The Côtes de Brouilly is super small and is the closest to the Mediterranean out of all the Crus. Because of this, it’s significantly warmer in these here parts of Beaujolais. The Côtes de Brouilly has similar characteristics to Brouilly, as they both share the same volcanic soil. Côtes de Brouilly wines are going to be fruitier and lighter than some of the Brouilly Beaujolais.

PICK OF THE WEEK: Château de Javernand “Indigène” Chiroubles $17.99 @ K&L Wines

This Beauj is pretty frickin’ serious for only being $17.99.

This is one of those wines that definitely has that funky, earthy, and distinctively French sensibility. I was expecting something a little fruitier, with a little more of those creamy bubble gum and banana aromas that come from carbonic maceration but NOPE. None of that nonsense whatsoever. I also would have thought that being from Chiroubles, it would be chill and mellow, but this Beauj has no chill whatsoever. And that’s a good thing.

The Indigène Beaujolais is an earthy, fruity, violety symphony with a light body and super low-key tannins. This wine tilts towards currants - and I hate giving currants as a tasting note, because honestly I have yet to meet a person in America who eats currants on the reg unless they’re having a scone or something. But the reality of this wine is, yup, there’s currents up in this bitch. And you can’t ignore it. Pick up a bottle and you’ll pick up what I’m putting down.

You’ll find loads of forest aromas too, and these woodsy aromas lend an air of mystery to this wine. Fans of Pinot Noir and lighter-bodied wines who like bitter, herbal flavors - like tea and such - would dig the crap out of this wine. I’ve been to Paris once, and this wine is definitely the kind of wine you’d enjoy at a sidewalk cafe somewhere. It’s sophisticated, yet drinkable. There’s a little bit of spice here and just a little bit of bitterness at the end - but it’s attractive and it works. If it were a person, it would wear black t-shirts and jeans all the time.

This wine is definitely not some wine you can just chug back without thinking. It’s requires a bit more time spent with it. It’s definitely a pre-dinner party wine, perfect for scintillating conversation about fancy, highbrow things like art and such. Serve with a slight chill, and pair it with some top ramen with pork and a tea stained egg. Those Umami flavors, and the minerality of the broth are gonna be unbelievable with this wine.