Cru Beaujolais

Cru Beaujolais: Far More Than Nouveau

Every third Thursday of November, wine fans celebrate the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau. It's a lovely fall ritual, timed to supply Thanksgiving tables, but Nouveau is really just the doorway into this appealing wine. Beaujolais covers a much wider spectrum than that, so here's some background on the region and why it belongs on your table.

A Compact Region with Plenty of Character

Beaujolais lies just south of Burgundy and is small, running only 34 miles long and seven to nine miles wide. Its reds are made entirely from Gamay, a cousin of Pinot Noir that's easier to grow, produces more fruit, and ripens earlier. The Nizerand River divides the area from north to south: the north has granite and schist soils, while the south is marl, a clay-based soil. All of the cru vineyards sit in the north.

What Sets a Cru Apart

"Cru" means a specific village or zone that's allowed to put its name on the label. Beaujolais has ten: Saint-Amour, Julienas, Chenas, Fleurie, Moulin-A-Vent, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnie, Brouilly, and Cote de Brouilly. These villages can't produce Beaujolais Nouveau. Where the simpler Beaujolais wines usually go through carbonic maceration, giving banana and bubble gum notes, many Cru Beaujolais are made Burgundy-style: a slow, cool fermentation in open wooden vats, aging in small, often neutral oak barrels, and lees stirring. That method takes Gamay up a notch, delivering deeper color, more tannin, and solid aging potential. The wines retain their bright acidity while showing traits closer to red Burgundy.

Why It Works So Well at Thanksgiving

You could argue there's no finer wine for your Thanksgiving table than Beaujolais. After all, who wouldn't want Burgundy beside the traditional feast? Beaujolais delivers many Burgundian qualities at a fraction of the cost. Look for raspberry, tart cherry, and sometimes black currant and darker fruit depending on the village, plus secondary notes of mushroom, violet, and earth. It pairs beautifully with a wide range of dishes and tends to be low in alcohol.

Celebrate Beaujolais with Us

Join us at our Beaujolais Blowout on November 15th and find out why wine lovers hold Beaujolais so dear. We'll have Nouveau on hand too—because, well, why not? You'll also get to taste the full range of this wonderful wine. Bottles will be available to buy retail, and if you'd like to order in quantity, we can arrange delivery before Thanksgiving.

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