Beaujolais

Question 1

What is the climate of Beaujolais?

Answer 1

Continental

Question 2

Beaujolais overlaps the southern part of which other subregion in Burgundy?

Answer 2

The very northern part of Beaujolais overlaps a bit of the southernmost portion of the Mâconnais.

Question 3

What is the red grape grown in Beaujolais?

Answer 3

Gamay

Question 4

What is the traditional training method in Beaujolais?

Answer 4

Gobelet (aka Bush vine)

Question 5

In what type of soils are the best red wines in Beaujolais grown?

Answer 5

Granitic soils that are nutrient deficient.

Question 6

What is carbonic maceration?

Answer 6

Carbonic maceration is a winemaking technique used for red wine production that extracts intense color and fruit flavors but little tannin.

• Whole clusters of Gamay are put into tanks, carbon dioxide is pumped into the tank and the tank is sealed, creating an anaerobic environment;
• Due to the absence of oxygen the berries undergo an intracellular fermentation (without the help of yeasts). In this anaerobic environment some tannin and lots of color are transferred to the flesh from the skins while the grapes are building up carbon dioxide, which then force them to burst;
• Once carbonic maceration has completed (7-10 days) the winemaker pumps both the free run and pressed juice from the skins into another vessel to allow yeasts to finish primary fermentation, rendering the wine dry and very fruity.

Question 7

What are some of the flavors derived from carbonic maceration?

Answer 7

• Bubble gum
• Banana
• Kirsch
• Cinnamon
• Gum drops
• Red licorice

Question 8

Is Beaujolais Nouveau produced via carbonic maceration or traditional methods?

Answer 8

Most Beaujolais Nouveau is produced using carbonic maceration.

Beaujolais Nouveau is intentionally made for early drinking.

Question 9

When can Beaujolais Nouveau be released?

Answer 9

Beaujolais Nouveau can be released on the third Thursday of November the same year of harvest.

Question 10

Beaujolais Nouveau cannot be sold after ____ the year after harvest.

Answer 10

August 31

Question 11

How are the soils different from northern Beaujolais to southern Beaujolais?

Answer 11

Northern Beaujolais has more granite and schist soils, and the northern landscape has more rolling hills than the south.

Southern Beaujolais is on an alluvial plain with sandy soils, and the earth here is flatter than in the north.

Question 12

Will one find more white wine or more red wine from Beaujolais?

Answer 12

Red wine

Gamay is king in Beaujolais but there can be some Chardonnay found on limestone outcroppings; Chardonnay from Beaujolais is sold as Beaujolais Blanc.

Question 13

What is the hierarchy of quality wines in Beaujolais?

Answer 13

From highest to lowest:

• Crus of Beaujolais
• Beaujolais-Villages
• Beaujolais

Question 14

How many Crus are there in Beaujolais, and which 4 do you need to know for the exam?

Answer 14

10 Crus

Know:
1. Moulin-à-Vent
1. Fleurie
1. Morgon
1. Brouilly

These 4 Crus of Beaujolais have the greatest production

Question 15

Which Crus of Beaujolais offer wines with the most structure and concentration?

Answer 15

• Morgon
• Moulin-à-Vent

Question 16

Which Crus of Beaujolais offer wines that are more perfumed and aromatic, and tend to be lighter in style?

Answer 16

• Brouilly
• Fleurie

NOTE: You don’t need to know this for the exam, but while Brouilly and Fleurie *tend* to be lighter in style compared to Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent, the Cru that produces the lightest wines overall is Saint-Amour.

Question 17

Grapes for Beaujolais Nouveau can only come from where?

Additionally, where are the grapes NOT allowed to come from?

Answer 17

Beaujolais Nouveau wines can only be of Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages quality.

The 10 Crus of Beaujolais may NOT be sold as Beaujolais Nouveau.

Question 18

How is semi-carbonic maceration different from carbonic maceration?

Answer 18

Semi-carbonic maceration does not utilize pumped-in carbon dioxide. Instead, a winemaker will rely on the carbon dioxide naturally produced by fermentation.

• Whole clusters at the bottom of the tank will be crushed from the weight of the grapes above, allowing natural yeasts that were on the grapes to start fermenting the juice released from burst berries;
• The CO₂ produced ignites the intracellular fermentation so even on a semi-carbonic wine there will be the tell-tale flavors of this technique (florals, candied banana, Kirsch, tutti-fruity notes).

Question 19

How many villages lie within the Beaujolais-Villages AOP?

Answer 19

39 villages

Most of the wines in Beaujolais-Villages are blended across villages, which is why individual villages are rarely seen on labels.

None of the 10 Crus of Beaujolais are included in this group

Question 20

In the 10 Crus of Beaujolais, the winemaking technique most often used is traditional or carbonic maceration?

Answer 20

Traditional

Most will receive at least some aging in large, neutral vats.

Question 21

Will red wines from Beaujolais display heavy notes of oak?

Answer 21

No, the reds from Beaujolais will rarely, if ever, display oaky notes as the wines are fermented and aged in large, neutral vats.

Question 22

If a Beaujolais winemaker makes their wine traditionally in large, neutral casks, what 2 techniques can they use to give the wine brighter fruit characteristics?

Answer 22

• Semi-carbonic maceration
• Small proportion of whole bunches