Beaujolais is north-west of Lyon and it is hard to find a prettier wine region. Steep mountains fall into a series of spurs interspersed with the famous villages whose names you see on the labels of the wines.
The Gamay grape reigns supreme here, turning out red wines with light juicy flavours and just enough tannin and acidity to make them moreish and delicious. The grapes are grown on granitic and sandy soils, then fermented largely as whole, uncrushed berries to give Beaujolais wines their characteristic juiciness. Beaujolais comes in four levels: straight Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais Villages and ‘cru’ Beaujolais from named villages such as Fleurie. A very old established company, which has made great strides in recent years, is E Loron & Fils whose wines we have under the sous-marque ‘Jacques Charlet’. They make superb Côte de Brouilly and also consult to the charming Mlle Vial of Domaine de la Viroylette in Fleurie. Gilles Perroud’s family have been at Château Chassantour for fifteen generations and make sublime Beaujolais-Villages Lantignié and cru Regnié. Laurent Guillet of Domaine de la Chaponne in Morgon makes lovely wine from favoured slopes and the Colonge family of Fleurie have been long-time Tanners suppliers. For a Beaujolais to drink or keep, look no further than Jacky Janodet’s Moulin-à-Vent. Other cru villages are Juliénas, Saint-Amour and Chénas.