Although many 2017 Cru Beaujolais wines are tumbling into the market, let’s not skip past the ’16s, which are really just hitting their stride—popping with high-volume aromatics and feeling comfortable in their fine and silky skin. A refreshing change from the inky intensity of many 2015s, 2016s mark a return to classical proportions; it has turned out to be an absolute stunning vintage for the Gamay grape.
The region’s
vignerons experienced early struggles with hail, but the fruit that remained on the vine was attentively groomed and primed by a glorious late summer. Today, we also factor in a fifth-generation grower who organically farms old vines in arguably the most graceful Gamay terroir—Fleurie’s esteemed “La Madone” vineyard—and what do you get? The mixture of refinement and easy-drinking refreshment that the best Cru Beaujolais delivers. We’re enjoying this wine immensely now, but I’m also stashing some bottles for further down the road: This is a wine that reminds you that (a) Beaujolais is part of Burgundy and (b) that Gamay can often be a Pinot Noir doppelgänger depending on its source vineyard and treatment in the cellar. There’s a reason Cru Beaujolais is perhaps the hottest red-wine category on the market right now: Price-to-quality across the board cannot be beat!
There are currently 10 “crus” of Beaujolais (a new, 11th cru is “in the works”). However, unlike the northern part of Burgundy, the term cru in Beaujolais refers to an entire village, rather than a single vineyard (it’s the same in Champagne). You can think of these crus as neighborhoods, loosely categorized by their climate, aspect, and soils—which translate to a certain type of wine personality. The Fleurie cru takes its name from the Montagne de Fleurie, and is associated with producing Gamay that is less muscular and more ladylike. It is known for its dusty pink granite soils, but there is a key difference between the higher vineyards and the lower ones. Vines planted at high altitudes (around 400+ meters), benefit from a sandy, coarse topsoil which has the unique ability to reflect a high percentage of sunlight while absorbing just enough heat to nourish the vine (unlike the clay-heavy soils on the bottom, which soak up water, darken in color, and retain more heat). While the granite bedrock softens the acid and constructs the mineral backbone of the final wine, it’s important not to forget the topsoil which, in tandem with foliage and canopy, acts like the vine’s HVAC system.
Guillaume Chanudet’s 40-year-old vines in “La Madone” are benefactors of this special microclimate. Perched at 430 meters, in view of the historic “Madonna” chapel that lends its name to the site, these are some of the highest, steepest, daring vines in Fleurie. In this non-tractor friendly land, Guillaume, himself, is the machine (when you visit his website, the photo on the homepage shows him plowing his vineyard on a warm day). He represents the fifth generation of farmers in Beaujolais, making wine the old-fashioned way: hand-harvesting, rigorous sorting, no destemming, no crushing. ‘Semi-carbonic’ maceration takes place in concrete tanks, fueled by natural yeasts. For aging, he chooses concrete, a less breathable vessel that neatly tucks in a fruit bowl of aromatics.
The 2016 “La Madone” from Chanudet is an exceptionally pretty version of Gamay, but don’t be fooled by its almost translucent color, it’s got plenty of depth and drive. Bright ruby-magenta at the core, moving to a watery pink rim, it bursts with raspberry, cherry, purple plum, violets, and crushed pink peppercorn, followed by salty, stony minerals and velvety tannin. It’s a perfect balance of fruity and savory with considerable length, one that invigorates and percolates the senses. Pop the cork and give the wine 30 minutes to aerate, then pour into Burgundy stems (keeping the temperature around 60 degrees). Given its soft tannin and fleshy fruit structure, this wine can handle a friendly spice; think Morocco, Lebanon, Peru, Cuba, Malaysia, China, and even old-school Southern BBQ. I love the combination of sweet-spice-savory with Cru Beaujolais, and how versatile this wine is with vegetarian foods, like the attached Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce recipe. That’s the other reason Cru Beaujolais is so popular: It goes with just about everything! Enjoy!
