Gamay and granite – a Beaujolais love story (#Winophiles)

Once upon a time (1395, to be exact), the Duke of Burgundy, France, issued a royal decree. He ordered Gamay, a red grape grown on the limestone hillsides of Burgundy, to leave his realm – go south – to make room for the more favored Pinot Noir.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Pinot Noir became the darling of Burgundy. And Gamay? Its future was not too shabby either. Gamay found a comfortable home in Beaujolais. Today, 98% of vineyards are planted to Gamay. (The remaining 2% are planted to Chardonnay.)

Gamay fares well in the varied soils of Beaujolais. But this once banished grape met the love of its life in the ancient granite soil at the heart of the region.

The French Winophiles are visiting Beaujolais (virtually) on Saturday, May 16. If you’re reading this in time, hope you can join us on Twitter, starting at 11 am ET, by using the hashtag #Winophiles.

But wait… isn’t Beaujolais that simple wine?

Oh, you mean Beaujolais Nouveau!

Yes, the simplest Beaujolais – the one released every year to great fanfare on the third Thursday of November –is fruity, light Beaujolais Nouveau. Produced through a quick fermentation process called carbonic maceration, these wines are meant for drinking young.

Serious and age-worthy wines are also found in Beaujolais. The best Beaujolais wines hail from 10 distinct Cru (communes): Juliénas, Saint-Amour, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Regnié, Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, and Brouilly. A Cru Beaujolais will have its name printed prominently on the label. All of these areas are designated as Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wine. 

Each Cru has its own personality. The Fleurie I bought for this post is known for having delicate fruity and floral aromas. Over 90% of Fleurie soils are old pink granite. Granitic soil, writes reviewer and critic Jamie Goode, lends brightness and precision to a wine.

Fleurie’s vineyards enjoy a temperate continental climate. Hills to the west protect the region from cold northwesterly weather systems. Abundant sunshine warms the grapes, but they also get cooling influences from the Mediterranean Sea in the south. “This ensures that ripening is slow and steady, leading to a balance of acidity and flavor.” (wine-searcher.com) 

Visually, Beaujolais is quite striking. Vineyards appear as though they have rows of short, squat bushes. This is because vines are pruned close to the ground, without wires, in the ancient Gobelet (“goblet” or “vase”) system. This system was once used extensively in California and still exists in some places there. It’s also popular in Spain, where it is called en vaso, and elsewhere. 

Château du Chatelard is located between Fleurie and Morgon. Chatelard is a poype (a building situated on a hill and surrounded by ditches).

Owned by the Tournus Abbey as early as the 12^th century, the château was completely destroyed by a fire that left only the original arched cellars intact. Rebuilt during the 18th and 19th centuries, it has been maintained by three families: the Severt, the de Buissières and the Mignot de Bussy. The estate is now managed by Aurélie de Vermont, daughter of a Beaujolais winemaker.

The wine – 2018 Chateau du Chatelard “Cuvée Les Vieux Granits” Fleurie AOC
100% Gamay

Grapes are grown in old, eroded pink granite in the northern section of Fleurie, on grassed-over, hillside vineyards facing south and southeast. These goblet-trained vines are up to 75 years old. Harvested by hand, grapes undergo skin contact for 12 to 16 days, followed by slow pressing and then maturation on the lees (spent yeast) for eight months.

My tasting notes: Garnet red in color. Red cherry, blackcurrant, violet, and a mix of herbs waft into the nose. The palate is herby and earthy – thyme and oregano immediately, followed by cinnamon, spice, and black pepper. Elegant and structured, with supple tannins and medium body. Medium+ acidity and long finish. Drink now or age for a few more years. Legs in the glass indicate high level of alcohol: 14.5%. Price: $22.99.

The pairing – Greek tuna steaks and Gaby’s pea risotto

To match the weight of the wine, I went with meaty, pan-seared tuna steaks and a cheesy pea risotto. Success!

The Mediterranean-style marinade for these Greek tuna steaks suited the wine’s herby palate. Gaby’s springtime pea risotto at What’s Gaby Cooking was just the right amount of cheesy to balance the wine’s medium+ acidity and further smooth the tannins. I’m grateful to Jane at Always Ravenous for introducing our Wine Pairing Weekend blogging group to Gaby. I wrote about her pea pesto in my February #WinePW post.

Check out what the other Winophiles are tasting from Beaujolais by visiting the posts below. Hope you can join us on May 16!

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm experiences A Casual COVID-19 Visit with Charcuterie and Chateau de Poncie Le Pre Roi Fleurie.
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla pairs Tuna Pâté + Joseph Drouhin Hospices De Belleville Brouilly 2016.
• Jill at L’Occasion explores Soil + Wind: Tasting Cru Beaujolais with Château du Moulin-à-Vent.
• Payal of Keep the Peas is Welcoming Summer with a Berry Delicious Brouilly.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest honors Fleurie – The Queen of Beaujolais Crus.
• Jane at Always Ravenous explores Cru Beaujolais: Tasting and Food Pairings.
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! enjoys Cru Beaujolais at the Grill.
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles shares Flowers for Julien –Beaujolais in May.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass discovers Gamay and Granite – A Beaujolais Love Story.
• Susannah Gold at Avvinare finds Cru Beaujolais – An Endless Discovery.
• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairing discovers Cru Beaujolais –Cedric Lathuiliere Fleurie Paired with Frog Legs.
• Nicole at Somms Table explains Julien Sunier Régnié and a Focaccia Fail.
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish meets Morgon de Jean-Pau Thévenet, One of the Beaujolais Gang of Four.
• Kat at The Corkscrew Concierge is Exploring the Differences & Pairing Versatility of Cru Beaujolais.
• Martin at Enofylz Wine Blog considers A Taste of Chénas, Beaujolais’ Rarest Cru.
• Terri of Our Good Life pairs Cru Beaujolais with Rustic Foods.
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator is Comparing Louis Tete’s 2016 Brouilly and Morgan Gamay from Beaujolais With Pairings.
• Host Cindy at Grape-Experiences adds The Wines of Fleurie – An Enchanting Introduction to Cru Beaujolais.