The Beginner’s Guide to France's Beaujolais Wine Region - Part 2

Wed, Jan 03, 24

Learning about different types of wine and what components make them unique can be both fascinating and intimidating. Luckily for you, our expert staff at Rollers Wine & Spirits is here to help! With so many different wines to choose from, it can often be challenging to know where to get started with your research. For this two-part series, we’ve put in the leg work for you, and are excited to take you on a journey through the famous Beaujolais wine region of France. Whether you order wine online or check out an in-store selection, read on to learn more about why you should add wine from Beaujolais to your next shopping list!

Where is Beaujolais?

The namesake of Beaujolais wines is the historical French province of Beaujolais but now is categorized as a wine-growing region. The Beaujolais area is located in north Lyon and includes parts of Rhône, the Rhône Alpes, and southern parts of Burgundy. What makes this region unique in terms of wine production is that while it is administratively considered part of the Burgundy wine region, the climate of the area is actually more similar to Rhône, and the wines produced here are unique enough for them to be considered in their own category.

What you Should Know about Beaujolais Wine

Beaujolais wines are commonly produced from the Gamay grape. This type of grape is known for its thin skin and is also characterized as low in tannins. While the region most commonly produces red wines, around 1% of production is of white wines made mostly from Chardonnay grapes. The Beaujolais region is renowned worldwide for the use of carbonic maceration in its winemaking, allowing wines to take on a fruitier taste with softer tannins. On the whole, wines from Beaujolais are light-bodied with high amounts of acidity, and most importantly, they are delicious!

How is Wine Categorized?

There are some specific regulations that dictate how wine is labeled in France, and for a bottle to be labeled with a specific origin site it must be produced in accordance with the rules of that area. Wine from Beaujolais might be labeled in a few different ways- as Beaujolais, with the name of one of the villages of Beaujolais, or with the name of one of the ten crus in Beaujolais. What is a cru you might ask? Great Question!

Specific Characteristics of a Cru

Unlike in Burgundy or Alsace, the phrase cru in Beaujolais is in reference to the 10 wine-producing areas, rather than individual vineyards. These growing sites are parallel to the Saone River, and each of the 10 crus has distinct topographical characteristics. The wines produced in crus don’t usually include the name “Beaujolais” on the label as an attempt to distinguish their product from the more mass-produced Nouveau Beaujolais wines of the region.

If you want to learn more about the specific characteristics of the 10 crus of Beaujolais, make sure you check out Part 2 of our series! At Rollers Wine & Spirits, we sell a wide variety of delicious products for you to order wine online or get some ideas for what to look for in your local store. With over 50 years of expertise in the beverage industry, we will make sure you have something delicious to add to your wine collection! Order online today or find a location near you!

By Paige Lorberbaum