Production Breakdown
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Beaujolais AOC | 34% |
| Beaujolais Villages AOC | 26% |
| 10 Crus (combined) | 40% |
Nouveau: 20% of total (22M bottles); 2/3 as Beaujolais, 1/3 as Villages
Release: 3rd Thursday of November (changed 1985 from Nov 15)
Key Grapes
| Variety | % |
|---|---|
| Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc | 98% |
| Chardonnay | 2% |
Secondary: Pinot Noir (red), Aligoté/Melon (white), Pinot Gris (rosé)
1,000 Gamay clones at Château de l'Éclair (national conservatory)
Soils: North vs South
| Zone | Soils | Production |
|---|---|---|
| Northern | Granite, schist, arène | All 10 Crus + Villages |
| Southern | Limestone, Pierres Dorées | Majority of Beaujolais AOC |
Pierres Dorées: Golden limestone (iron-oxide); bulk of Beaujolais AOC
Northern Crus harvest BEFORE southern (steep SE-facing granite)
The 10 Crus (North to South) — All RED Only
| Cru | Year | Style | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint-Amour | 1946 | Light | Northernmost; borders Mâconnais; Valentine's Day marketing |
| Juliénas | 1938 | Medium | Named after Julius Caesar; diverse soils = complex |
| Chénas | 1936 | Powerful | SMALLEST; "chêne" = oak; hints of wood w/o barrels |
| Moulin-à-Vent | 1936 | Powerful | "KING"; most full-bodied; "pinoter" = become Pinot-like |
| Fleurie | 1936 | Light | "QUEEN"; most feminine; floral |
| Chiroubles | 1936 | Light | HIGHEST + COOLEST; latest harvest; most "Beaujolais" |
| Morgon | 1936 | Powerful | 2nd largest; Côte du Py (famous lieu-dit); "morgonner" = earthy; roches pourries |
| Régnié | 1988 | Medium | NEWEST; sandy soils; quick to mature |
| Côte de Brouilly | 1938 | Medium | Slopes of Mt Brouilly; diorite (volcanic) = peppery |
| Brouilly | 1938 | Medium | LARGEST + SOUTHERNMOST; named for Brulius (Roman); diorite |
All Crus: hand harvest mandatory | Up to 15% Aligoté/Chardonnay/Melon in field blend | Goal: recognize lieux-dits as Premiers Crus
Regional AOCs
| AOC | Year | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Beaujolais | 1937 | 99% red; 30 villages can append names |
| Beaujolais Villages | 1938 | 38 of 96 villages; more minerality (granite) |
"Supérieur": Higher alcohol, lower yields (red Beaujolais only)
Nouveau: NOT separate AOC; all 96 villages can produce
Winemaking
Semi-Carbonic Maceration
Enzymatic (intracellular) + yeast fermentation. Fresh, aromatic: candied fruit, banana, bubble-gum. Serve slightly chilled.
Bourgogne-Style
Destemmed, crushed, traditional ferment. More complex, oaky. Used in Crus (esp. Moulin-à-Vent). Never for Nouveau.
Rosé
Up 35% (2015-2019); direct press or saignée
Viticulture
| Method | Where |
|---|---|
| Gobelet | Mandatory: red Villages + all Crus |
| Cordon/Éventail | Now also allowed for Crus |
| Guyot | Regional only (higher yields) |
Mechanical harvest: Disallowed for Nouveau + all Crus
Terra Vitis: Sustainable cert started HERE (1998); 700+ members France-wide
Jules Chauvet
4th-generation Beaujolais winemaker + research chemist
| Championed | Carbonic maceration |
| Developed | INAO tasting glass |
| Known as | Father of natural wine |
| Fan | General de Gaulle drank daily |
History & Key Facts
| Roman Era | Mt Brouilly = Brulius; Juliénas = Caesar |
| 10th c | Lords of Beaujeu → region's name |
| 1950s | Nouveau phenomenon begins |
| 1951 | Nov 15 release date set |
| 1985 | INAO changes to 3rd Thursday Nov |
| 1988 | Régnié = newest Cru |
| 1998 | Terra Vitis started |
| 2018 | UNESCO Global Geopark |
| 2035 | Bourgogne Aligoté closes to Beaujolais fruit |
Cru Styles by Category
Light & Soft (3)
Saint-Amour: Perfumed; Valentine's | Fleurie: "Queen"; floral
Chiroubles: Most "Beaujolais"; benchmark; highest elevation
Medium-Bodied (4)
Juliénas: Diverse soils; complex | Régnié: Sandy; quick maturing
Brouilly: Largest; diorite | Côte de Brouilly: All compass points; peppery
Powerful & Age-Worthy (3)
Chénas: Smallest; "oak" hints | Moulin-à-Vent: "King"; 10+ yrs
Morgon: 2nd largest; cherry/Kirsch; Côte du Py
Cru Quick Reference
| Largest | Brouilly |
| 2nd Largest | Morgon |
| Smallest | Chénas |
| Northernmost | Saint-Amour |
| Southernmost | Brouilly |
| Highest/Coolest | Chiroubles |
| Newest (1988) | Régnié |
| "King" | Moulin-à-Vent |
| "Queen" | Fleurie |
| Famous lieu-dit | Côte du Py (Morgon) |
Top Exam Points — Memorize These!
10 Crus = 40% production, ALL REDN→S: St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, CdB, Brouilly
King = Moulin-à-Vent; Queen = FleurieMoulin-à-Vent "pinoter" (Pinot-like); Morgon "morgonner" (earthy)
Largest = Brouilly; Smallest = ChénasHighest/coolest/latest = Chiroubles; Newest = Régnié (1988)
Nouveau = 3rd Thursday November20% of production; hand harvest + semi-carbonic; NOT separate AOC
North = granite/schist; South = limestonePierres Dorées = golden limestone; UNESCO Geopark 2018 (300 soils)
Jules Chauvet = father of natural wineChampioned carbonic maceration; developed INAO tasting glass
Gobelet mandatory for Villages + CrusGuyot only for regional; Terra Vitis started here 1998
Côte du Py = most famous lieu-ditIn Morgon; roches pourries (rotted rocks); goal = Premier Cru status