Wine:The much-derided Beaujolais deserves a fresh tasting
The seeds for this column were sown about 15 months ago when I met Olivier Merlin and his wife for dinner in Dublin. They were here for a weekend and were, like any young couple, happy to take a break from family and work to spend time with each other. But they had other passions. Although he has an impressive portfolio of white Burgundies - which we will return to another time - Merlin was keen to talk about what have become the hopelessly unfashionable wines of Beaujolais.
Beaujolais has never been considered a producer of serious wine to rival Burgundy or Bordeaux. But its fragrant, fruity, early-drinking reds such as Fleurie, made from the low-tannin thin-skinned Gamay grape, can have an appealing and approachable personality. And when the soil, vintage and winemaker combine, Beaujolais can produce a formidable wine worth ageing, such as in Moulin-à-Vent or Brouilly.
This has always been the case but about 30 years ago the marketing world saw an opportunity in an affable local tradition and the gimmick of Beaujolais Nouveau was born. However, what was a fun-filled and very lucrative tail started to wag the dog of the region as more producers saw the easy money in delivering this flimsy youthful wine to a willing market. As the Beaujolais Nouveau marketing spin waned, the lustre of Beaujolais and its 10 esteemed crus was caught up in the inevitable decline.
This opened the way for young mavericks such as Merlin and Jean-Claude Lapalu. They stripped the yields back, following the principle that less was more (though as Andrew Jefford wrote in The New France this was not a commonly held belief), and began to renew the traditions of Beaujolais winemaking, stressing the vibrant summer fruit and fresh acidity and, in crus such as Moulin-à-Vent, its earthy complexity.
This kind of care costs money, but the world has been slow to give Beaujolais another chance. Spending €15 to €20 on a bottle of Beaujolais Village is not everybody's idea of value. Yet many winemakers are producing, particularly in exceptional vintages such as 2005, wines of quality in a unique style that bring life and laughter to spring and summer tables.
THE WINEMAKERS
Olivier Merlin:Ironically, Tyrrell & Company now only imports his Moulin-à-Vent because the market for Beaujolais is so weak, but this is a delight - light but earthy, fragrant, delicate, with hints of strawberry jam and summer fruits. Contact Tyrrell & Co (045-870882)
Jean-Claude Lapalu:Brilliantly individualistic. From old vines he produces six wines, two free of sulphur, and all offering remarkable concentration and complexity. Even his Nouveau 2006 (€13.95) has grit and character, while the sulphur-free La Tentation 2005 (€16.50) is smooth, enticing and seductive; his Le Rang du Merle 2004 (€27.95) laughs at Gamay's limitations. See www.wicklowwineco.ie
Terres Dorées:Jean-Paul Brun's wines have deservedly won acclaim, particularly his nutty, elegant Chardonnays. His earthy, lightly spiced strawberry 2005 Fleurie (€15.50) is definitely one to try. See www.winesdirect.ie
Dom Du Vissoux:Pierre-Marie Chermette produces a classy understated Chardonnay, Beaujolais Blanc 2005 (€16), with lovely soft notes of peach and pear, though his red wines, such as his Fleurie (€17.75) are his real strength. Contact Searsons (01-2800405)
Château du Châtelard:A lovely herby-rich Brouilly 2005 (€15.30) packed with cherries and an equally classy and elegant Fleurie 2005 (€16.05) are the highlights of this noted producer. See www.karwigwines.ie
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
Beaujolais mainly produces red wine with the Gamay grape, with a tiny amount of white, mostly Chardonnay, some of it very good. It is just south of Burgundy and north of the Rhône in two areas - the Bas Beaujolais and the Haut Beaujolais. The Haut Beaujolais is where the fun is, in the shape of Beaujolais Village and Cru Beaujolais. All crus go under their own name, ie Fleurie, while Beaujolais Village is a general standard. The 10 crus are: Fleurie, Brouilly and Moulin-à-Vent, Morgon, Côte de Brouilly, Saint-Amour, Chiroubles, Chénas, Juliénas and Régnié.
HOW BEAUJOLAIS IS MADE
"The grapes are all hand-picked. This is because the vinification process used for nearly all Beaujolais is carbonic maceration (with the exception of Jean-Claude Lapalu's best cuvées), which requires whole bunches of grapes, neither crushed nor destalked. These are used to fill a vat and the fermentation begins inside the grape without any yeast involved. At the bottom of the vessel grapes are crushed by the weight of those above and the liberated juice starts to ferment. Carbon dioxide is produced; the gas surrounds the remaining fruit, excludes oxygen and lets the middle and upper layers undergo this anaerobic transformation. Wines made thus are full of fruit flavours, with little harsh tannins or malic acid. On the whole they are meant to be drunk young." (From George Staines's outline on Beaujolais: www.wicklowwineco.ie)