Beaujolais: Fresh Wines for All Seasons

As the warm weather returns, lunches and other social gatherings become more frequent and are the perfect occasion for sharing. Known for their light yet rich flavor, Beaujolais wines—whether red, white, or rosé—are the ideal choice for your upcoming gatherings!

Discover Les Grappes' selection of Beaujolais wines!

Red Beaujolais wines: wines best served chilled

The perfect choice for summer

The only grape variety used to make Beaujolais red wines is Gamay. Known for producing light, fruity red wines, Gamay is best enjoyed when served slightly chilled. Yes, white and rosé aren’t the only options in the summer!

A Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages is the perfect choice to pair with a mixed salad, a charcuterie platter, or grilled meats. These wines are prized for their rich, full-bodied flavor and lightness. With their fruity aromas, they pair wonderfully with the sunny flavors of summer dishes. On very hot days, their generally low alcohol content allows you to enjoy them without feeling weighed down.

The wines of Beaujolais

To the north of the wine region, 10 crus stand out within the Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages AOCs: Juliénas, Saint-Amour, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, and Côtes-de-Brouilly.

Sourced from plots with varying soils, subsoils, and exposures, each vintage has its own distinct profile, yet all strike a balance between character and approachability.

During the summer months, certain wines are particularly enjoyable. Fleurie, with its delicate and elegant profile, is ideal as an aperitif or paired with a dish featuring white meat and vegetables. Its fresh, floral aromas balance out the richer, fruitier notes.

Brouilly, with its delicious notes of strawberry, raspberry, and plum, is the perfect wine for social gatherings. It’s ideal for any get-together with friends or family on sunny days.

White Beaujolais: A Rarity

Where can I find white Beaujolais?

White Beaujolais is produced in the Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages appellation areas in the southern part of the region. Of the 3,000 vineyards in the region, nearly 500 produce white wine, and nearly 2 million bottles are sold each year.

Which grape variety is used for white Beaujolais?

It is Chardonnay, a world-renowned grape variety, that is grown and used to produce Beaujolais white wines.

It produces appealing wines with a golden hue and aromas of white-fleshed fruits and citrus. On the palate, white Beaujolais wines are quite full-bodied, with a pleasant finish.

White Beaujolais Villages, on the other hand, offer a more floral and mineral profile and display a lovely aromatic intensity. Although they are generally enjoyed young, they can be aged, and waiting a few years allows them to express their full complexity and intensity.

More and more wine lovers are falling for the smoothness and freshness of these wines, which can be enjoyed as an aperitif or paired with fish, poultry, or rabbit dishes. They also go well with cheese platters—especially goat cheese—or desserts like tiramisu.

Beaujolais Rosé

In Beaujolais, summer goes hand in hand with rosé! Though often overshadowed by their red-wine counterparts, the region’s rosés have been gaining increasing recognition in recent years.

Beaujolais rosé, which has held AOC status since 1937, is produced in the Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages AOCs, the two largest appellations in the region. The wines are made from the Gamay noir à jus blanc grape variety.

What sets them apart from red wines are the production techniques. In fact, to make rosé wine, the grape clusters are pressed immediately and are sometimes subjected to a few hours of pre-maceration. Some winemakers also use malolactic fermentation, which converts malic acid into lactic acid to soften the wine.

Fresh, thirst-quenching wines

Beaujolais rosés delight the eye with a beautiful hue that ranges from pomelo to peach. On the nose, they reveal notes of tart red berries and citrus, promising a lovely freshness. On the palate, they are truly refreshing and enjoyable wines.

Beaujolais Villages rosés have a lighter, clearer color with pale pink hues. They have a fresh aroma, and the flavors on the palate are primarily fruity and very fragrant.

If you're looking for a wine to pair with your summer lunches or barbecues, Beaujolais rosés are the perfect choice, served at a temperature between 8° and 11°C.

Rosé, summer nights

Throughout the year, the Beaujolais region demonstrates great vitality and creativity when it comes to cultural, sporting, and culinary events.

Especially in the summer, there are many events that offer a chance to explore the vineyards and meet the people who work there, all in a friendly and festive atmosphere.

Eager to showcase their expertise, the region’s winemakers are organizing a variety of events in July and August to offer rosé tastings: festive evenings, night markets, walks through the vineyards, and the illumination of monuments in certain towns… “Rosé, Summer Nights” takes place from Thursday through Sunday throughout July and August.

For more information: https://www.destination-beaujolais.com/