Beaujolais wines are like the hipster nephew of the wine world — vibrant, quirky, and endlessly fascinating. If Chardonnay is the Mom and Merlot is the Dad, Gamay, the grape behind Beaujolais wines, is the family member who can’t stop bragging about their latest art installation. Unique and unconventional, Gamay often gets overshadowed in France by the likes of Bordeaux, Chablis, and Côtes du Rhône. But Beaujolais, a small region south of Burgundy, puts Gamay in the spotlight with its 100% Gamay wines. Not familiar yet? Think Morgon, Fleurie, or Moulin-à-Vent — classic examples of Beaujolais wines showcasing their unique style and quality variations.
A typical (and yes, I’ll say it, simple) Gamay expresses raspberry, pomegranate and violet with high acidity to balance. Yet at a recent lunch and learn seminar by Beaujolais Wines, I tasted through 8 different Beaujolais, each with a distinct flavour, style, and food pairing composition.
We were presented with one dish and two wines and our goal was to determine which one paired better. Same grape, different style, it was eye opening!
Round 1
Beaujolais Jean-Paul Brun Domaine Des Terres Dorées, L’ancien 2016
vs.
Fleurie Villa Ponciago, La Reserve 2014
And the winner is… the L’ancien! Paired with salmon sashimi with spicy green tomato, the leaf and kirsch of the Fleurie didn’t balance as well. While the Fleurie was elegant and refined, the brightness and tart raspberry flavours of the L’Ancien won me over with this dish.
Round 2
Beaujolais Villages Louis Jadot, Combe Aux Jacques 2016
vs.
Chenas Pascal Aufranc 2014
Look away, plant-based foodies; this Cured Elk and Smoked Eggs Mousse was next level. It needed the boldness of the Chenas to stand up to it. The Chenas had dark, toasty spice with plum and dark fruit flavours with more structured tannins. Whereas the Beaujolais Villages (while gorgeous) was more floral and perfumed. Its high acidity balanced well with the mousse, but the composition wasn’t meant to be used for this pairing.
Round 3
Brouilly Chateau de Pierre 2016
vs
Morgon Mathieu & Camille Lapierre 2016
Pork Masala with rice and seasonal veg. I could have eaten this entire dish, except it was served family-style, which would have been embarrassing. Nonetheless, it paired better with the Brouilly, which had rich layers. It was soft and fragrant, smooth and juicy. It could last another 10 years if you have patience. The Morgon didn’t have the flavour extraction on the length to hold up to the main dish. I would easily drink this on its own, though, glass after glass — fabulous purity and minerality.
Round 4
Chiroubles Steeve Charvet 2015
vs.
Moulin-a-Vent Lucien Lardy, Les Thorins 2015
I couldn’t eat the Pear fritter dessert (gluten-free girl over here), so both wines win this battle! The Chiroubles was feminine and floral with dominant raspberry and plum flavours. Juicy and concentrated. The Moulin-a-Vent had more preserved fruit flavours, cherry pie, and red licorice, but it was dry on the palate! Thoroughly enjoyable.
A round of applause goes to Anthony Collet from Beaujolais Wines for leading our group through this thought-provoking seminar. Thank you to Townhall Brands for organizing and including me in the invitation. I had such a blast and learned so much, plus I got to eat amazing food from TUC Craft Kitchen!
Finally, a massive thank you to Angel from Also There’s This for providing all of these amazing photos of our experience that day.