Wine on the Radio - November 7, 2003       Listen

Beaujolais Region                           Beaujolais Picks

Are you on the lookout for a good, everyday wine? Check out the wines of Beaujolais for everyday. It's a region with a long and great history, and it's mostly known for the Beaujolais Nouveau released every November; but it's more than that.

Gamay is the grape, and its claim to fame is its aromatic juicy fleshiness and its easy handling. The wines are fruity, soft, a little lower in alcohol and ready to drink right off the shelf. They're typically light with a floral aroma and berry-like flavor . . . and unlike their neighbors in Burgundy, they're not pricey either.

Most common on the shelf are labeled Beaujolais Villages or, a tad more interesting, specific place names like Brouilly or Morgon. Serve them with lighter foods, like chicken and fish, and as an everyday alternative sipper to more elegant Pinot Noir.

Don't overlook under appreciated Beaujolais as your own 'house wine.'

Pop the cork™.

Beaujolais Region . . . All Prices Approximate

Duboeuf 2002 Beaujolais Villages $9
Burgundy, France

Winemaker's Notes
Made entirely from the Gamay grape, this wine is pleasant, tender, light and always with the taste of fresh crushed grapes

2001 Maison Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages $8
Forward fruit flavors beautifully complimented by notes of brown spice, particularly cinnamon, and sweet dried currant

Joseph Drouhin 2001 Brouilly $15
Burgundy, France

Winemaker's Notes
One of the most famous Crus of Beaujolais

2000 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Cru Fleurie $12
WS 87 points, Violet, bluebell, black cherry and cinnamon aromas and flavors, on a juicy, yet focused, frame

2001 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Cru Morgon $10
A full-bodied and virile wine dominated by touches of cherry and kirsch and at times apricot

2001 Henry Fessy Beaujolais Cru Brouilly $12
This wine has some tannin and power, much like a Burgundy

1999 Maison Louis Latour Beaujolais Cru Morgon $8
The fresh fruity bouquet and palate display a round, smooth, supple fruit character, exhibiting all the attributes of this unique appellation

1999 Viorney Beaujolais Cru Brouilly $20
WA 88 points, On the palate, this wine offers a medium body, loads of lusciously-textured candied blood oranges and dark cherries

2001 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Cru Moulin-A-Vent "Dom. de la Tour du Bief" $12
WS 90 points