Nestled between Burgundy in the north and Rh&ocirc;ne in the south, lies one of France&rsquo;s most charming yet often overlooked wine regions - Beaujolais. This picturesque region is known for its vibrant, fruit-forward wines made predominantly from the Gamay grape variety.

The history of winemaking in Beaujolais dates back over 2000 years when Romans planted vineyards along their trading routes. In later centuries, it was largely controlled by Benedictine monks who played a significant role in developing viticulture and winemaking techniques. However, it wasn&#39;t until the 14th century that the Gamay grape began to gain popularity as Duke Philip The Bold deemed Pinot Noir superior for his Burgundian estates and exiled Gamay to this region.

Beaujolais Nouveau &amp; Its Impact

One cannot discuss Beaujolais without mentioning Beaujolais Nouveau - a young red wine released just weeks after harvest each year on the third Thursday of November, celebrated with great fanfare as &quot;Beaujolais Nouveau Day&quot;. This light-bodied wine is meant for immediate drinking rather than cellaring. One of my mother&rsquo;s favorite wines.

However, this annual spectacle has led many people to assume that all Beaujolais wines are simple and lack depth. The reality couldn&#39;t be further from this misconception; while Nouveau represents a large portion of production (about one-third), there are also premium quality wines being produced here which bear no resemblance to their younger sibling.

The Region&#39;s Top Producers &amp; Food Pairings

Beaujolais can be divided into three main categories based on quality levels: Basic (or Classique) Beaujolais; Villages, produced from grapes grown in 38 specific villages; and Cru &ndash; ten top-quality areas each with their unique style. The Cru wines are where Beaujolais truly shines, with top producers such as Domaine des Terres Dor&eacute;es by Jean-Paul Brun, Ch&acirc;teau Thivin and Marcel Lapierre creating expressive and complex wines that can rival many from the more prestigious regions of Burgundy.

Try these staff recommended available from Grape The Wine Company:

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Camille-Melinand-Fleurie-2020-w7869273pq" target="_blank">Camille Melinand - Fleurie 2020</a> - $31.99 &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Jean-Foillard-Fleurie-2020-w28251975z" target="_blank">Jean Foillard - Fleurie 2020</a> - $59.99

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Labruyere-Moulin-a-Vent-Clos-du-Moulin-2020-w3284907cr" target="_blank">Labruyere - Moulin a Vent Clos du Moulin 2020</a> - $110

In terms of food pairings, Beaujolais is a versatile wine due to its bright acidity and low tannins. It pairs beautifully with a range of dishes including charcuterie, roast chicken, grilled salmon or even sushi.

Distinguishing Beaujolais from other C&ocirc;te d&#39;Or Wine Regions

While Beaujolais shares a border with the esteemed Burgundy region (collectively known as C&ocirc;te d&#39;Or), it has distinct differences in climate, soil type and grape variety which results in contrasting wine styles.

The primary grape in Beaujolais is Gamay which thrives on the granite soils found here - producing aromatic wines with red fruit flavors and floral notes. In contrast, Burgundy&#39;s Pinot Noir prefers limestone-clay soils yielding more structured wines characterized by earthy undertones.

Moreover, while both regions employ traditional winemaking methods like hand-harvesting and minimal intervention techniques; semi-carbonic maceration &ndash; fermenting whole bunches of grapes under carbon dioxide before pressing - is widely used in Beaujolais to enhance the fruity character of Gamay.

Beaujolais offers an exciting journey for wine beginners: from its fun-loving Nouveau to its sophisticated Crus; there&rsquo;s much to explore beyond what meets the eye (or palate). It might not have the grandeur associated with Bordeaux or Champagne but this humble region delivers an unrivalled combination of quality and value that makes it well worth your attention.

Nestled between Burgundy in the north and Rhône in the south, lies one of France’s most charming yet often overlooked wine regions - Beaujolais. This picturesque region is known for its vibrant, fruit-forward wines made predominantly from the Gamay grape variety.

Intro to Beaujolais Wine: An Unsung Hero of French Viticulture

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

Ledger Restaurant & Bar

Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head downtown to Salem, Massachusetts where they review the wine list at Ledger.

Wine List Review of Ledger, Massachusetts

Sam Hohl

Ledger

BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

Gap Weekend: A Film Shoot in Wine Country

Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Bodegas San Alejandro is a family-owned winery that was founded in 1962 by 19 local grape growers in the Calatayud region of Aragon, Spain. Today, the winery is known for its commitment to sustainable winemaking practices and its focus on expressing the unique terroir and grape varieties of the region.

Well-appointed wine bar with a stylish interior specializing in local wines by the glass or bottle.

Meson

Brasserie Mon Chou Chou

BondST

Buenos Aires Restaurant

Buenos Aires

Meadowsweet

Casa Mono

Atera

La Cava

LAVO Italian Restaurant

Lavo

Quality Italian

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Sovino Wine Bar & Merchant

Birichino

Malvasia Bianca 2021

Malvasia

California, USA

Birichino

Petulant Naturel Malvasia Bianca 2021

Malvasia

California, USA

Barra Of Mendocino

Chardonnay 2018

Chardonnay

Mendocino, USA

Coquerel Verdelho Walnut Wash Vineyard, USA, California, Napa 2021

Verdelho

California, USA

Bokisch Vineyards

Vista Luna Vineyard Garnacha Blanca 2021

Grenache Blanc

USA

Lane Vineyard

Le P'tit Paysan L'Apiculteur Cedar, Viognier, Arroyo Seco 2014

Arroyo Seco, USA

Husch La Ribera Vineyards Chenin Blanc 2021

Mendocino, USA

Domaine de Couron

Cotes du Rhone Viognier 2020

Viognier

France

Balletto, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley 2020

California, USA

Claiborne and Churchill

Dry Gewurztraminer 2019

Gewurztraminer

Central Coast, USA

Domaine de Couron

Cotes du Rhone Villages 2017

Blend

France

Domaine de Couron

Cotes du Rhone Viognier 2017

Viognier

France

Chesebro

Albarino 2019

Albarino

Arroyo Seco, USA

Le P'tit Paysan

'Le P'tit Pape', Monterey County 2015

Monterey County, USA

Cold Creek Ranch

Laird Family Estate, Pinot Grigio 2020

Carneros, USA