Bring on the Beaujolais
The wines of Beaujolais run the gamut from approachable party guests to structured cellar candidates. Grab a crowd-pleasing Beaujolais-Villages, sit back with a mighty Morgon, or explore all the high-acid, low-tannin, food-friendly options in between with help from these staff picks.
Beaujolais “Griottes” Pierre-Marie Chermette – 2020 $16.96
Consistently producing some of the best vintages in the Beaujolais over the past two decades, Pierre Chermette and his wife Martine are easily one of my favorite wine makers working today…This wine is rich and fresh on the palate with fresh fruit and a great mix of minerals and acidity. Widely versatile with food or simply on its own. Serve with a slight chill. This is quite simply great wine. – Nima Ansari, Spirits Buyer
Beaujolais Lantignié, Ch. du Basty – 2020 $18.96
The Gamay grapes for this Beaujolais Lantingnié were grown on a south-facing granite slope, and the wine was made in the classic Beaujolais way: whole bunch fermentation, carbonic maceration, natural yeasts. Ripe currant fruit on the nose hints at the full, ripe, and firm mouth feel. This is a wine with depth and soul that belies the price. Pair with a slight chill and your favorite meal. Enjoy! – Josh Mizrahi, Sales Manager
Damien Coquelet Beaujolais Kes Ki Dit $19.96
At 35 years old, Damien Coquelet represents the new generation of Beaujolais vignerons. Here’s an extremely user friendly quaffer that brings flavors of tart cherries and white tea. Bright and silky smooth. Organic and low intervention. Serve chilly willy. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
FRV100 “Terres Dorées”, Jean-Paul Brun – NV $21.96
A sparkling rosé of Gamay made in an off-dry style? Before you scoff at this description and say you don’t like sweet wines, I highly recommend a taste test. And I’ve even got a cheese pairing or two to compliment this juice! Jean-Paul Brun – a wine making renegade and master of vinifying still Gamay in Beaujolais – makes this delicious, fruity beverage in the méthode ancestrale, where fermentation finishes in the bottle, creating the bubbles. The style recalls the wines of Cerdon du Bugey. If you can’t find Cacio di Langa – a young, soft blend of cow/goat/sheep’s milk with candied strawberries – shoot for a milder chèvre and serve it with a fresh fruit jam. The tang of the cheese and the combo of fruit flavors are a natural match with this wine. – Bambi Ray, Sales Manager
Côte de Brouilly, Nicole Chanrion – 2019 $26.96
Nicole Chanrion doesn’t take no for an answer. And we’re so glad that’s the case. Although she’s of the six generation in a wine making family, it was not easy in the 1970s for a woman to actually be the maker herself. By 2000 she was not only well respected, but became president of the Cote-de-Brouilly appellation! This particular wine showcases both the unique terroir (a prehistoric volcano lies beneath, providing a mineral-rich soil) and her craftsmanship (with a focus on biodynamic farming and minimal intervention in the vinification.) Cote-de-Brouilly is known as one of the more robust crus. Nicole’s manages to balance both power and elegance. No wonder her local nickname is ‘La Patronne de la Cote,’ i.e. The Boss! – Doug Yacka, Operations Manager
Chiroubles, Dom. Chapel – 2020 $34.99
It’s hard to believe that David and Michele Chapel have been making wine for a mere five years. The quality and finesse in this bottle alone suggest generations of knowledge and dexterity…This is one of the most elegant, refined Beaujolais I’ve ever had, with delicate red fruit (cherries, strawberries), cloves, and floral notes. Marcel Lapierre would be proud. – Amy Miller, Sales Manager