As in the rest of Burgundy, the name of a wine is nearly always that of a place: a general region, village, or specific vineyard within the village. The Beaujolais region is just north of the ancient Roman capital of Gaul: Lyon. Beaujolais-Villages, although considered a regional "appellation" rather than a "village appellation" or "cru" as they are known in the Beaujolais area, is located in the north of the area surrounding and sometimes even separating the "crus", south of the town of Mâcon. It can only be produced from grapes grown and harvested on the lands of 39 villages covering a total of 5,750 hectares of which 10% are actually in the "département" (county) of Saône et Loire, just south of the Mâconnais vineyards.
TASTING NOTES
COLOUR
The purplish red reveals perfectly its Gamay origins
NOSE
Aromas of soft fruits, especially cherry
PALATE
Fruity flavours, smooth and delicate, balancing finesse and body, Beaujolais-Villages demonstrates perfectly its proximity to the "crus".
WINE MAKING
Here too, there are differences in the techniques used when compared with the rest of Burgundy. Most importantly, the grapes are not all crushed on arrival at the winery. In this way fermentation will occur within the grape's own skin. Pressing is carried out only after the initial fermenting in the vats. For this reason, harvesting (usually in early September) must be carried out by hand only to avoid damage to the individual grapes. Finally, to preserve the typical fruity flavour of Beaujolais wines, ageing in vats is preferable to ageing in wooden casks.
FOOD PAIRING
An "anytime" pleasure wine, to be appreciated just for its fruity taste with cold meats, fish, and red meats
Variety: Gamay
Region: Beaujolais-Villages
Alcohol: 13%
Bottle Size: 750ml
Case Size: 12 pack
