Beaujolais
by Jane Augustine
It’s funny how the Beaujolais can be a gateway region for those who are just beginning to take their wine selections more seriously. It makes sense: in the realm of age-worthy, terroir-driven, and food-friendly wines, Beaujolais created by the greatest producers not only are well-priced for their value, but also they come with an underdog story—an endearing parable on the virtues of artisanship and perseverance in a region that few believed could amount to anything. What’s not to love? Witnessing a curious consumer evolve into a full-blown collector, spreading the gospel of Gamay, crus, and sans soufre, will never get old! Once Beaujolais enters the picture, the world of fine wine awaits.
2021 Beaujolais Rosé
France | Beaujolais
There’s always more than what meets the eye when you open a bottle of wine from Domaine Dupeuble. It’s a credit to this 500-year-old family business that their whites, rosés, and reds are so utterly delicious and value-driven that we don’t often stop to contemplate such features as terroir, winemaking, etc. But when we do pause to consider those things, the wines become all the more impressive. This rosé, for instance, comes from vines up to seventy years old! As you might expect, then, the Dupeuble family treats these vines with the utmost care, fertilizing them with natural compost and harvesting them by hand. In the cellar, Ghislaine Dupeuble vinifies this cuvée without SO2, using only natural yeasts. The result is a pretty, round, and versatile rosé full of notes of red fruit, melon, and rhubarb. It finishes with a subtle herbal note and foodfriendly acidity.
2021 Fleurie
France | Beaujolais
Long, cold macerations are just one of the signature techniques that stylistically set Max Breton’s Beaujolais apart from those of his peers. And while I’m loath to always compare his wines to the others in the Gang of Four, I’m forever drawn to understanding what makes each unique. His Fleurie is delicate, with buffed tannins and juicy fruit; it will leave your thirst slaked and your heart feeling light.
2021 Morgon “Vieilles Vignes”
France | Beaujolais
This vintage from Jean Paul and Charly Thévenet tastes as classic as any I can recall recently. Earthy and old-school, it excels in the role of the quintessential, naturally made Morgon of our dreams. For devotees, this might be the vintage you buy in bulk to cellar a few for later.
More from the December 2024 Newsletter
