Today’s video is something really special, the topic is Cru Beaujolais, some of the most exciting and best-value wines anywhere in today’s wine world. Included will be an interview with Jonathan Pey, a longtime CA winemaker, now connected to some of the best wines of Beaujolais. This video will include a discussion about the region, what to look for when you’re out wine shopping, along with a tasting of a couple benchmark examples.
The region of Beaujolais is in eastern France, a bit south of the town of Macon and north of Lyon. It’s a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The region is planted to 98% Gamay, a relative grape variety to Pinot Noir. The wines tend to be light to medium-bodied, with high acidity and low to moderate levels of tannin, the best examples show incredible range and purity of fruit character. The southern part of the Beaujolais region is quite flat, it produces vast amounts of generic or basic Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages. Further north is home to the Cru Beaujolais where the terrain changes with greater elevation, hillier, with increased granite-based soils, often with older vines, sometimes 50+ years old. Here, much of the vineyard work is done by hand. This is the place for a treasure trove of sensational wines, mostly priced in the $20 to $40 range.
Jon, thank you for sharing your expertise on this video! Link to wines from Jonathan Pey.
https://www.scenicrootwinegrowers.com/Wines
Cru Beaujolais to search out, along with the approximate retail cost in USD:
2022 Jonathan Pey Morgon “Bellevue” $34 per bottle, very limited 1.5L also available.
2023 Jonathan Pey Fleurie (available soon)
2022 Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly $30
2022 Domaine Anita Fleurie Poncie $26
2022 Domaine Anita Domaine Anita Morgon Chateau-Gaillard $30
2022 Domaine Anita Moulin-a-Vent Les Caves ‘Tres Vieille Vigne’ $30
2022 Domaine Diochon Moulin-a-Vent Vieilles Vignes $30
2022 Domaine Michel Chignard Fleurie Les Moriers $26
2022 Jean Foillard Morgon “Cote du Py” $45
2022 Château de Javernand Vieilles Vignes Chiroubles $25
2022 Nicole Chanrion Cote-de-Brouilly “Domaine de la Voute des Crozes $25
#frenchwine #beaujolais #crubeaujolais #redwine #gamay #winetasting #winelife #wine #winetime #wset #wsetdiploma #bobpaulinski #masterofwine #france #oldvines
20 Comments
It seemed like a familiar name for me. Does he make textbook wine right?
I often had textbook wine and it remembered very good taste and reasonable price for me.
He's new beaujolais also interested. I wish I could get it in korea too.
As ive gotten older, ive really come to love beaujolais for the reasons mentioned in the beginning: balance, nuance, etc. I used to think it wasn't ageable (basically drink immediately on release or pour out) but ive had some great aged examples and really enjoy them. Glad to see some of my favorite names included!
Another excellent video! I learned a lot. Thank you so much.
Bob, really fantastic interview. My entrance into the wine world was a Cru Beaujolais,, Clos de la Roilette back in the early 80's. I haven't stopped since then, Kudos!
This was great one!
As always the information/advice is top shelf,that has been true since day 1,the interesting thing has been watching the evolution of the quality of the videos..
Yeah…..serious wines coming out of Beaujolais. Have had some from all 10 cru’s. My go to for a Pinot Noir option (like many others), I do like partial carbonic wine making too….so IMHO even non cru, great village levels are great to look for too. Looking forward to trying the 22! Just bought 6 👍😁😁
Thanks for putting this out. I'd like to see your recommendations in this category. I recently tried a Foillard Morgon Cote du Py and loved it but paid $56.00. Not too high for the great wine it was but do you know of good Gamay for less? Thanks so much!
GREAT content Master Bob! I have enjoyed some 15 Brouilly recently, but the bottles were hit-and-miss. I would say that is as far as I want to take a Cru. Awesome work as always!!
I really like these interviews, long or short formatted. I suppose it's a lot of work and not always available, but it's a really nice format. I've loved Beaujolais since I met it through Nouveau, which is one of the first wines that got me into the wine world just because of how different it was from big Ribera del Duero that I was used to. Every year, I buy a bottle of Villages Nouveau from the best producer I can find, and I call a friend for pizza and Beaujolais Nouveau, and that's it for the year. I'm in love with the crus but I'm having a hard time getting my hands on some! I may be looking out to finally try Moulin-à-Vent this year. Cheers!
Love Cru Beaujolais. I spent a happy day some years ago walking the Beaujolais hills, calling at various wineries.
My '22s won't be broached until 2025. I am currently drinking 2020.
I'll put it on the list.
Wonderful episode. I just happened to buy 4 bottles of the Bellevue Morgan online from Wine Spies. I’m looking forward to opening the first one!!
What a great informative discussion. I checked out Jon's website, and it's great. I'm considering getting some of his wine. Cheers, Bob.
I enjoyed a 2020 Domaine Chignard a few months ago. Thanks to this video, I'm looking forward to trying more from the Beaujolais Crus.
And Bob, I love the discussion format of the videos you seem to have been shifting to lately.
Great!:)
Would love to see an episode on the timorasso grape and what they’re doing with that in piedmont 🙂
Great interview. Nice to see such positivity about beaujolais. I’m a great fan. Love Thivin and also the Moulins by Thibault Liger Belair. Great wines at great prices
I remember listening to someone who said gamay can more resemble pinot noir in a cool vintage and grenache in a warmer vintage (maybe 2014 vs 2015 as an example). Not sure if you think along those lines, but do you have a preference between cool / warm vintages in beaujolais?
Fascinating, Id buy that mans wine if I could! I love the Crus and try hard to resist grabbing a bottle out of the ”cellar” right now!
Awesome video, very informative.
I feel like Beaujolais is becoming the opposite of Burgundy for me, where I'm almost constantly pleasantly surprised with the quality of wine your money gets you.