Beaujolais

Beaujolais (Beaujolais) legally refers to the wine of the province of Burgundy, but it does not lose its identity, which is fully confirmed by tradition. Evidence of this is the active dissemination on the market of wines produced here, known all over the world. Little who do not know about the hilarious celebration of young Beaujolais ” Beaujolais Nouveau “, which is celebrated every third Thursday of November.

Beaujolais, the southern gate of Burgundy, covers an area of 23 000 ha, covering 96 municipalities in the departments of saône-et-Loire and Rhone. The length of the region from North to South and 50 km, average width is 15 km.

Unlike Beaujolais from the famous neighbors already noticeable in landscapes. Smooth, nearly straight slopes are missing, but there are a variety of hills and hollows, dazzles the eye with its sun-drenched slopes; flat tile roofs gives way to the romance, giving the homes a “southern” look.

The territory is narrowed in its Northern part. There flows the river of Arloa like separating a Maconnais.

On the East plain, where the sparkling bends of the majestic saône. Julius Caesar said “it is so slow that the eye with difficulty distinguish which way it goes.”

To the West of the Beaujolais hills, the first foothills of the Massif Central. The highest point is mount Saint-Rigaud (1 012м), which divides, like a border post, the regions of the Saone and Loire.

And finally, in the South of Lyon lies the vineyards leading to the center of the area that is washed, as is known, three rivers: the Rhone, the saône and… the Beaujolais!

Undoubtedly, the wines of Beaujolais owes much of Lyon, as to this day they are purchased by the famous Lyon bistro “Busoni”, which has become the preferred market for Beaujolais after the heyday of the vineyards in the eighteenth century. Two centuries earlier the status of capital passed from God (who gave the name of the region) to Villefranche-sur-saône. Able and wise rulers, God was able to achieve the expansion and prosperity of his realm, encouraged by the power of its illustrious neighbours – count De Macon and De Electrophoresis, abbots of Cluny and Archbishop of Lyon.

The rapid development of vineyards has contributed to the entry of Beaujolais in the five largest Royal farms partially exempted from duties on the transportation of goods to Paris (carried out for a long time through the channel of Briar).

Currently, Beaujolais produces an average of 1 400 000 HL of a typical red wine (white wine is produced in extremely limited quantities), but this is the main difference from the Burgundy wines – almost exclusively from the Gamay Noir.

The wines produced are divided into three appellations: Beaujolais, Beaujolais Superieur and Beaujolais-villages, and also belonging to the ten “CRUs”: Brouilly, côte de brouilly, Chenas, Shirubl, Fleurie, Morgon, Julienas, Moulin-a-vent, Saint-Amour and Rainier.

The appellations of Beaujolais and Beaujolais-villages can be assigned to red, rosé and white wines, while the appellation Beaujolais Superieur is only valid for red and white wines.

The name “CRU” is given only red wines, which by law may be claimed as the Bourgogne appellation with the exception of the last, Rainier.

On both sides of the imaginary line passing through Villefranche-sur-saône. traditionally distinguish the Northern Beaujolais and the southern Beaujolais.

A variety separa Beaujolais is very weak: almost 99% of the area occupied by variety Gamay Noir. In everyday speech this variety is often called “Gamay Beaujolais”. Exiled from the côte d’or by Royal decree of Philip the Bold, who in 1395 it “very treacherous plant” (probably compared to Pinot Noir), Gamay Noir adapts to different soils and grows in various climates.

Remarkably caught on earth Beaujolais vines Gamay Noir have a characteristic cascading branches, and during the first ten years need support to be formed. So in the North you can see the plots with poles-pillars. This variety is very sensitive to spring frosts, as well as to major pests and diseases of vines. Kidney may be disclosed before the end of March, but more often it occurs in the second week of April. So the local proverb says: “If the vine shines on St. George, the grapes ripen in time.” Flowering in the first half of June, and to gather the grapes begin mid-September.

Other separam appellation include Pinot Noir, which produce red and rose wines, Chardonnay and aligoté, which gives white wine. To 2015 for plots of Pinot Noir set the threshold at 15% of all separa; replanting in the vineyards of seedlings of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay, melon and Aligote in the amount of 15% is allowed for the production of red and rosé wines.

All wines in Beaujolais are produced according to the same principle: respect for the integrity of the clusters combined with short maceration (from three to seven days depending on wine type). This method combines the classic alcoholic fermentation in 10-20% of the total amount received in the VAT of wort and intracellular fermentation, which splits contained in grapes are malic acid and there are particular flavors.

Thanks to this technology Beaujolais wine acquire a special addition and special aromatic palette, which is enhanced or updated with new shades depending on the terroir. It also demonstrates why it is so difficult to achieve perfection in environmental work: the change in the volume of wort relative to total volume is different in each case.

Schematically Beaujolais wine can be described as dry, malotaninnym, flexible, fresh, very aromatic, with an alcohol content of 12°-13°.

One of the features boralessa vineyards is the application inherited from the past Ispolin: harvest and some of the costs are divided equally between the tenant and the owner who provides land, housing, and vats, a major wine producing equipment and substances for the treatment and seedlings. But the terms of the contract can be different. Winemaker or tenant, share Cropper, having a vineyard tool, provides labor, bears the costs associated with the harvest, and watching the impeccable condition of the vines.

The contracts isoline, which come into force on Valentine’s day. Martin (November 11), appealing to many farmers. This system is operated for 46% of the area, competing with direct use (45%). Rented for cash rent charge 9% of the area.

Often you can find users, which is simultaneously the owners of several plots, and espulsioni. Typical boralessa farms occupy 7-10 ha. In the area of Crewe, which is dominated by Ispolin – the smaller square, and in the South, where cultivated mixed crops – large. Nineteen cooperative cellars producing 30% of the total volume of produced wines.

The right to be called “wine sample” or “new wine” the only pink and red wines of the appellations of Beaujolais and Beaujolais. These wines, originally produced from grapes grown on the granite Sands of some areas of Beaujolais-villages, beneficiosa after a short maceration of around four days, and as a result, the wine takes on a gentle character, nice flow, not too bright color and flavors of the fruit range, such as ripe banana.

In the regulations specified analytical standards and requirements for release to market. Since the third Thursday of November, these young wines are ready for tasting around the world.

December 15, after analysis and tasting begin to go on sale all the other boralessa wine AOC. The sale of these wines reach their peak after Easter. The wine region of Beaujolais is not intended for long-term storage. But if in most cases drink them within two years after the vintage, the best examples can be appreciated even after 10 years. The appeal of these wines is their freshness, delicate aromas, with hints of flowers – peony, rose, violet, iris.and fruits – apricot, cherry, peach and red berries.

According to the materials of the guide Hachette

Beaujolais Nouveau

Beaujolais Nouveau (Beaujolais Nouveau) – the name given to the wines of Beaujolais and Beaujolais, marketed immediately after harvest. Perhaps the most famous wine from Gamay.

It is a watery red wine with aromas of fruit and berries is the first in a series of vintages of French wines every year with the noise bursts on the international market.

A simple wine, made from the newly harvested grapes for centuries quenched the thirst winemakers of Beaujolais at the end of the crop year, but do not go beyond Beaujolais until the mid-20th century. After the Second World war, followed isoniemi in the rules of the appellation, Beaujolais has become a widely sold throughout France. His appearance is often accompanied by the slogan ‘Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!’ – A young Beaujolais has arrived!

The winemakers of Beaujolais quickly grasped the marketing potential of the country’s first crop and made a “chip” out of the race for the delivery of the first bottle of wine of the new harvest in Paris, began to promote the style of “Nouveau”, which aroused interest not only in France but also abroad. In the 1970s-80s idea of Beaujolais Nouveau has become an international wine phenomenon, especially popular in USA, Japan and Germany.

According to French law, the new wine sale may start as early as the first minute after midnight on the third Thursday of November.

The wine Beaujolais Nouveau is made from Gamay and can be red or pink (rose). This is not true, of course, to the wines of Beaujolais Blanc (Beaujolais Blanc).

Color Beaujolais Nouveau is bright, with purple tint. The aroma is often compared to cherry caramels, red plums, bananas and even chewing gum.

Is Beaujolais Nouveau special way – carbonic maceration, which turns out lekoelea wine, almost devoid of tannins. This wine is not suitable for the storage and the exposure.

A large part of the Beaujolais Nouveau is made from grapes growing in the southern part of Beaujolais, in the plains South of Leon. For the more serious Beaujolais wines using grapes from the hilly Northern part of the region.

In southern or “lower” (BA Beaujolais, Beaujolais Bas), part of the region in the soil is more clay, and she warms the vineyards as well as more dry granite soil in the Northern part. So the grapes raised in the South, does not have sufficient complexity of the bouquet to the end of maturation. But at the same time, it is more watery and fruity that is more suitable for the style of Beaujolais Nouveau. However, Nouveau can be done within the appellation Beaujolais, which has vineyards in the Northern part of Beaujolais.

The grapes for Beaujolais must be collected manually. In France, the only two regions where manual collection is required. The second such region – champagne.

The term “Nouveau” (FR. new) applied not only to the wines of Beaujolais, by which he is famous. The wine in the style of “Nouveau” are doing well in the appellations of origin Macon (Macon) and Ventoux (Ventoux). The term primeur is similar in meaning to the term nouveau, but is rarely used in this context.

Today, the popularity of Beaujolais Nouveau is not what it was before, as consumers began to prefer more complex wines. Since the 1980s sales of Beaujolais Nouveau have dropped considerably. However, about half of all of Beaujolais wines are still sold as Nouveau.