We thoroughly enjoyed this alluring, delicious and food-friendly wine.

This month the #Winophiles, a group of French wine, food and travel aficionados are exploring Beaujolais, and in particular Cru Beaujolais!

I have long believed that Cru Beaujolais are among the most food friendly wines. But several years ago I attended a Beaujolais Wines & Japanese Cuisine Pairing Dinner, that was revelationary experience. That experience elevated my overall perception of the distinctive Cru Beaujolais wines. For that reason, I was thrilled to see Cru Beaujolais as a topic this month.

About Beaujolais

Located north of Lyon in eastern France, Beaujolais is between Burgundy (of which it is sometimes considered to be a part) to its north and Rhône to its south. The picturesque Beaujolais vineyards run along the Saône River, where winemakers have crafted deliciously supple and fruity wines since the days of Ancient Rome.

The Gamay Noir grape, a cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais, is used to make  ninety-nine percent with Beaujolais wines. The exception is Beaujolais Blanc, which is made of Chardonnay grapes.

The northern part of Beaujolais is made up of rolling granite hills with patches of clay and limestone, while the south is dominated by richer clay- and sandstone-based soils, and much flatter topography. This differing terroir is a dominant factor in the north, producing typically aromatic, structured and complex wines in contrast to the lighter, younger-drinking and fruitier style of the south according to WineSearcher.com

There are about 2,600 winegrowers producing red, white and rosé  wines. Winemaking in Beaujolais is unique and original.  Grapes are hand-picked then subjected to carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration.

Cru Beaujolais

Beaujolais is part of the French Appellation d’Origine Protégée or “AOP”, which is a hierarchical system of rules and regulations that determine where the wines are produced, what grape varieties are allowed, and their level of quality. There are 12 appellations including 10 crus, which are considered to produce the best Beaujolais wines. Wines produced from vineyards in the ten crus (see infographic below) can label their wines with the Cru name only (e.g, “Morgon,” rather than “Beaujolais”, or Beaujolais -Villages.” the two other appellations) .

Chénas 

My wine is from Chénas. It is considered the rarest of the Beaujolais crus because it has the smallest production. Its vineyards are situated on the slopes of Mont Remont, sandwiched between the borders of Julienas and Moulin-a-Vent crus. Its distinctive wines are among heaviest in Beaujolais, and are renown for floral, earthy characters and ageability. The infographic below provide a good overview of the region:

In My Glass

Fruit for the 2017 Paul-Henri Thillardon “Les Carrières “comes from a vineyard that was formerly a quarry. Its soil is a mixture of clay, manganese and schiste. The vineyard is horse plowed and biodynamically farmed. The vines average 40 years of age.

Tasting notes: Translucent ruby color with with black cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, mushrooms, sandalwood, dried rose and subtle baking spice aromas. On the palate it’s medium-bodied and harmonious with vibrant acid and well-integrated supple tannins red cherry, pomegranate, black raspberry and spice flavors with an appealing kiss of stony minerality and a lingering finish. 12.5% abv. SRP -$34 We thoroughly enjoyed this alluring, delicious and food-friendly wine.

Food Pairing

Inspired by a recent post by my friend Nancy over at Pull That Cork, who mentioned one of her favorite pairings for homemade pizza is Pinot Noir, I decided I wanted to pair this wine with a homemade Mushroom and Chorizo pizza that included Cremini and Shitake mushroom, mozzarella, and ricotta cheese and Palacios Spanish chorizo. It was a remarkable pairing that left me wishing there was more in the bottle!

• 

• 

Join The Conversation

If you’re up early enough, please join our Twitterchat on May 16th at 11am Eastern. Just use the hashtag #Winophiles and share your thoughts about wines from Cru Beaujolais, experiences you’ve had in the region, “ah-ha” moments with food and wine pairings, and so much more! We hope to see you there!

And please support my fellow #Winophiles and check out what they discovered during their virtual visit to Beaujolais. You’re bound to find some tasty ideas for pairing Cru Beaujolais wines with food:

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm experiences A Casual COVID-19 Visit with Charcuterie and Chateau de Poncie Le Pre Roi Fleurie.
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla pairs Tuna Pâté + Joseph Drouhin Hospices De Belleville Brouilly 2016.
• Jill at L’Occasion explores Soil + Wind: Tasting Cru Beaujolais with Château du Moulin-à-Vent.
• Payal of Keep the Peas is Welcoming Summer with a Berry Delicious Brouilly.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest honors Fleurie – The Queen of Beaujolais Crus.
• Jane at Always Ravenous explores Cru Beaujolais: Tasting and Food Pairings.
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! enjoys Cru Beaujolais at the Grill.
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles shares Flowers for Julien –Beaujolais in May.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass discovers Gamay and Granite – A Beaujolais Love Story.
• Susannah Gold at Avvinare finds Cru Beaujolais – An Endless Discovery.
• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairing discovers Cru Beaujolais –Cedric Lathuiliere Fleurie Paired with Frog Legs.
• Nicole at Somms Table explains Julien Sunier Régnié and a Focaccia Fail.
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish meets Morgon de Jean-Pau Thévenet, One of the Beaujolais Gang of Four.
• Kat at The Corkscrew Concierge is Exploring the Differences & Pairing Versatility of Cru Beaujolais.
• Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog considers A Taste of Chénas, Beaujolais’ Rarest Cru.
• Terri of Our Good Life pairs Cru Beaujolais with Rustic Foods.
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator is Comparing Louis Tete’s 2016 Brouilly and Morgan Gamay from Beaujolais With Pairings.
• Over at Grape Experiences, Cindy is loving The Wines of Fleurie – An Enchanting Introduction to Cru Beaujolais.

Cheers! – Martin