Creating a buzz around Beaujolais Blanc
Went to a great event last night, focusing on Beaujolais Blanc. In a region synonymous with Gamay, and celebrating the revitalized Nouveau launch on Thursday, it was good to focus on some of the excellent Chardonnays being made, mainly in the south of the region, outside the crus.
Beaujolais Blanc makes up just 4% of the region’s wines, but is worth some attention. There are two appellations: Beaujolais Blanc and Beaujolais Blanc Villages. The former is more likely to come from clay/limestone soils, the latter from the granite that dominates the northern part of the region. But even within the crus, which aren’t as uniform in terroir as they are sometimes portrayed, there are small plots of limestone soil that lend themselves better to Chardonnay than Gamay.
One pf the most famous terroirs for Beaujolais Blanc is Pierres Dorées, and this is often included on the label. Perhaps one day this could be come the 11th cru in the region, but for Chardonnay, not Gamay!
In 2013 there were 248 hectares of Chardonnay destined for Beaujolais Blanc. This has since grown to 574 hectares. There are also around 1500 hectares of Chardonnay planted that are used for Crémant.
Here I tried 12 wines, and here are my notes:
Château de l’Eclair ‘Origine’ Beaujolais Pierres Dorées 2022 France
Some subtle creaminess on the nose with a hint of toast and spice. The palate is juicy with really good definition, leading to a finely spiced finish. Lovely. 93/100
Moillard Beaujolais Bland Les Monts Généreux 2023 France
Quite delicate and fine with citrus and pear fruit, as well as a hint of mandarin. Nice balance here with some juiciness. 92/100
Trenel Beaujolais Blanc 2023 France
Half granite, half limestone, matured in stainless steel. Lively, bright, crisp and focused with nice acidity. Linear and fresh with lemon and grapefruit notes and some juiciness. Lively and pure. 92/100
Château Bellevue Domaines Jean Loron Beaujolais Blanc Princesse Lieven 2023 France
Clay/limestone soils, half fermented and aged in oak barrels. Crystalline and detailed with lovely acidity. There’s a touch of what seems to be oak influence, but also some nice tension. 92/100
Château de Pizay Beaujolais Blanc 2023 France
Taut, fresh and crystalline, with some spicy acidity. Lovely tension here: crystalline and fresh. 92/100
Maison Dominique Piron Beaujolais Blanc 2024 France
Some clay/limestone, some granite, partial barrel ferment. Very bright, linear and fresh with fine-grained structure. Crystalline and juicy with nice freshness. So lively. 93/100
Château de Corcelles Beaujolais Blanc 2024 France
Aromatic with some floral hints. White peach and pear with good acidity. Textured and refined. 92/100
Famille Descombe Beaujolais Blanc Pierres Dorées 2023 France
Half in concrete egg and half in stainless steel, given a longe élevage of 18 months. This is crystalline and stylish with lovely pear and citrus fruit with nice detail and elegance. Fresh and stony with real style. 94/100
George Duboeuf Beaujolais Blanc 2024 France
Spice and nuts here with some juiciness. Fresh with subtle nutty detail and good acidity. A nice surprise. 91/100
Château des Jacques Beaujolais Blanc Clos de Loyse 2024 France
10 hectare walled parcel with alluvial soils over granite. Half is barrel-fermented and aged. Juicy, linear and stony with nice energy and good acidity. There’s some lemony brightness but also a bit of fine spicy character, and a touch of white peach. Tapering finish. 93/100
Domaine Victor Sornin Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2023 France
From a 1 hectare plot, granitic soils, 40 years old, stainless steel ferment and ageing. Taut and mineral. Fresh, stony and lemony. Linear and quite mineral with a wet stone edge. 91/100
Domaine des Côteaux Font Curé Beaujolais Villages Blanc 2024 France
This is from pink granite soils. Bright, focused and taut with some crystalline citrus fruit. Bright and expressive. 92/100
