How to pour
a Beaujolais in
Place the bottle in the refrigerator for about an hour, so the wine reaches 12 to 14 degrees. Beaujolais is a light red wine and is served lightly chilled; at room temperature it becomes broad and sweetish, and the fresh cherry recedes into the background.
Cut around the capsule below the ridge on the neck, place the corkscrew in the center of the cork, and turn it straight down. Simple Beaujolais is often sealed with a screw cap, and that says nothing about the quality: the wine relies on its freshness.
Decanting is not necessary. Beaujolais has little tannin and an aroma that reveals itself immediately, so extra air adds little. With a cru from a good vintage, you can pour a glass and leave the rest in the bottle for a while; after fifteen minutes, you will notice whether it has gained more depth.
Pour until the glass is about one-third full. The space above it captures the aromas, and because there is little wine in the glass, it stays cool. Put the bottle back in the refrigerator or an ice bucket in between pours, especially on a warm day.
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The story
Beaujolais lies south of Burgundy and north of Lyon, and works almost exclusively with gamay. In the north of the region, where the ten crus are located, the soil consists largely of weathered granite; farther south it becomes more clay-rich and calcareous, and this is where the simple beaujolais comes from. The region became known for nouveau, the young wine that comes to market each autumn with much fanfare. That success overshadowed the name for years, because many drinkers know only that festive version and not the crus that are stylistically very different.
The right glass
Beaujolais is a light red wine and needs only a modestly sized, rounded bowl. You do want the round shape, because it gives aromas of cherry, raspberry, and violet room to develop, but the enormous Burgundy bowl used for pinot noir gets in the way here: the wine warms up faster in it, which is exactly what you do not want at 12 to 14 degrees. See the red wine glasses for the sizes; if the bottle stays on the table, a wine cooler helps.
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Schott Zwiesel Mondial Burgundy glass 59 cl (6 pieces)
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The right tools
For a beaujolais, besides the glass, you mainly need a corkscrew, although some bottles have screw caps, and a wine cooler to keep the bottle at 12 to 14 degrees. You use the bar tools below when the wine goes into a sangria or tinto de verano: a citrus press for the juice and a bar spoon for stirring. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 72,60.
What do you serve alongside it?
Beaujolais is rarely served on its own. These are the wines that come alongside or after it, from the Burgundy the region borders to a glass of crémant beforehand. On each drink page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The region has three levels. Ordinary beaujolais usually comes from the south and is light and straightforward. Beaujolais villages comes from a designated group of municipalities and generally has more substance. At the top are the ten crus, each with its own name on the label: Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Régnié and Saint-Amour. Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent are considered the fullest-bodied and can age for years, while Fleurie and Chiroubles are fragrant and elegant. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Serve at 12 to 14 degrees, so chill it in the refrigerator for an hour beforehand. Beaujolais pairs with charcuterie, pâté, grilled sausage, poultry and cheese, and thanks to its low tannin is one of the few red wines that can handle a summer table. A cru can be served slightly less chilled and pairs well with more substantial dishes.
Good to know
What carbonic maceration does to the wine
With macération carbonique, whole, uncrushed bunches go into a tank filled with carbon dioxide. Fermentation then begins inside the berries themselves, before yeast can reach the sugar. This produces a different range of aromas than ordinary fermentation: banana, bubblegum, liquorice and cherry are the notes people recognize first. It also gives the wine less tannin and a smooth, juicy structure. Not every beaujolais is made this way, and with the crus, producers often choose partial or traditional fermentation.
The three levels on the label
If the label says only beaujolais, the wine comes from the entire region and usually from the southern part. Beaujolais villages comes from a designated group of municipalities and ranks one step higher. The ten crus put their own village name on the label and sometimes do not even mention the word beaujolais. So if you see Fleurie or Morgon without further explanation, you have a cru from this region in your hands.
Beaujolais nouveau and the third Thursday of November
Nouveau is wine from that same autumn's harvest, released for sale after just a few weeks of fermentation. It reaches the market on the third Thursday of November, everywhere on the same day, and that moment has grown into an event. The wine is intended to be drunk young and has the typical banana and bubblegum notes of carbonic maceration. To be fair, this very celebration damaged the reputation of the entire region for years, because many people think all beaujolais tastes like this.
Why granite is mentioned here
In the northern part of the region, where the crus are located, the subsoil consists largely of weathered granite and sand. This soil is poor and well-drained, making the vines less vigorous and the grapes more concentrated. Further south, the soil contains more clay and limestone, and the wines become lighter and more direct. This difference is the main reason the crus taste different from ordinary beaujolais.
How long you can keep it
You drink ordinary beaujolais and nouveau young, within a year or two. Beaujolais villages usually lasts a little longer. The crus are the exception: Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent from a good vintage can age for years and then develop earthier, fuller aromas, beginning to resemble mature Burgundy.
How much alcohol it contains
Beaujolais is usually roughly between 12 and 13 percent, keeping it on the lighter side for a red wine. The percentage is stated on the label.
Frequently asked questions
Which grape is beaujolais made from?
From gamay. The region works almost exclusively with this red grape, which performs best on the granite soils in the north of Beaujolais. Gamay produces a light, juicy wine with little tannin and plenty of red fruit.
Why does beaujolais smell like banana and bubblegum?
Through carbonic maceration with whole berries, macération carbonique. Fermentation begins inside the undamaged grape, producing different aromatic compounds than conventional fermentation. Banana, bubblegum, liquorice and cherry are the characteristic notes. Not every beaujolais is made this way; for the crus, it is often only partial.
What is the difference between beaujolais, villages and a cru?
Beaujolais comes from the entire region, beaujolais villages from a designated group of municipalities, and the ten crus each have their own name: Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Régnié and Saint-Amour. As you move up that hierarchy, the wine gains substance and lasts longer.
At what temperature do you serve beaujolais?
Serve at 12 to 14 degrees, so lightly chilled. An hour in the fridge is enough. Serving it warmer makes the wine taste broad and sweet and takes away its fresh cherry character. A modestly sized round glass works better than a very large Burgundy glass, which warms the wine more quickly.
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