The Best Of Beaujolais

Sure, you can (and maybe should) bash Beaujolais Nouveau, and you can (and maybe should) treat a lot of Beaujolais as gulpable juice to pull from a cooler on the beach. But wines from the 10 ‘crus’ of Beaujolais are a whole different story. They have gamay’s trademark bright fruit flavors, along with added structure and earthiness that’ll remind you they’re made a stone’s throw from Burgundy. Since they don’t have the same vaunted reputation as their northerly neighbors, they cost a fraction of the price, and represent some of the best values in all of wine. In other words, you should dive deeper into Cru Beaujolais. Here’s a primer to help you out.

Brouilly

Brouilly – named after the Roman lieutenant, Brulius – has been producing light, tart, easy-drinking wines since Brulius was here doing whatever Brulius did. Pierre Cotton has only been producing wine here since he left his job as a motorcycle repairman, but his Beaujolais has all of the wild fruit and floral notes that makes Brouilly such a crowd-pleaser.

Pierre Cotton, Brouilly 2018 $49

Chiroubles

Chiroubles has the highest elevation of any cru, which leads to particularly light, bright, refreshing wines.

Domaine Chapel, Chiroubles 2020 $39

Fleurie

A lot of Cru Beaujolais is floral - like a faceful of roses, peonies, and violets - and none more so than Fleurie. Yann Betrand is our favorite producer in the region, making this wine with 100+ year old vines, which amps up the aromatics and flavors even more.

Yann Bertrand, Fleurie ‘Cuvée du Chaos' 2019 $50

Julienas

Winemaking in Julienas dates back to Julius Caesar. Hence, the name. The wines are rich and weighty with fruitiness that’s dark and spicy rather than light and juicy.

Sylvain Martel, 'Bessay' Juliénas 2019 $39

Morgon

Morgon produces perhaps the most savory, structured, full-bodied wines in Beaujolais. That’s especially true when they’re from the cru’s best growing site - the Côte du Py - like this wine from Jean Foillard. Morgon is also a global HQ of the natural wine movement, which went mainstream thanks in large part to Foillard.

Jean Foillard, 'Côte du Py' Morgon 2019 $59

Saint-Amour

A long walk (or very short drive) from Macon in Burgundy is Saint-Amour, the northernmost cru in Beaujolais. Its wines are light and full of soft red fruit, making them extremely easy-drinking.

Yann Bertrand, Saint Amour 'Les Bambins' 2020 $45