The Truth About Beaujolais

by Anthony Lynch

Once upon a time, Beaujolais was synonymous for light, easy-drinking red. And while this charming wine region just north of Lyon certainly excels at the kind of juicy, fruit-driven quaffer that ice bucket dreams are made of, it’s about time we embrace it for its full diversity. That’s because the Beaujolais runs more than thirty miles long by eight miles wide—about the same size as Napa Valley—and is home to over 33,000 acres of vines split among two thousand producers. The annual production could fill twenty Olympic swimming pools, although sadly such a pool has yet to be created. I will be the first to dive in when it is!
Where the Beaujolais lacks diversity is in its grape varieties: Gamay accounts for 96% of plantings, with Chardonnay making up the balance for the rare, but often delightful Beaujolais blancs. Geologists have mapped more than 300 distinct soil types, which equates to quite the bounty of unique terroirs. To pigeonhole the region as a producer of light reds would be ignoring the vast range of wine styles bottled throughout its twelve appellations.
In this joy-filled sampler, we run the gamut of Gamay styles (and one Chardonnay) to show off the full spectrum of the wines of the Beaujolais. From playful everyday sippers to seriously nuanced bottlings from old vines in top sites, covering traditionalist domaines to natural wine darlings and everything in between, this is a case that makes a case for the Beaujolais as one of France’s greatest wine regions. Serve them cool!