Beaujolais, France (© Andreas Karelias | Dreamstime.com)

The fanfare that accompanies each November’s release of Beaujolais Nouveau makes it easy to forget that the venerable French wine region produces more than a dozen wines capable of pleasing a variety of tastes.

Considering that the Beaujolais region’s viticulture dates to the Roman Empire, it’s no surprise the local vintners have gained enviable expertise. Some of the vines have been carefuly tended and growing in the schist and granite-based soils for centuries. The result is wine as unique and representative of its terroir as any in the world.

We recently attended a tasting of Beaujolais wines of 2007 at the Gordon Ramsey Restaurant n New York’s London Hotel. Georges Duboeuf, the Frenchman largely responsible for bringing that region’s appellations to the attention of wine lovers around the world, joined us to offer his thoughts. Now in his 70s, the energetic Mr. Duboeuf has been the most well known producer of Beaujolais and one of the world’s most creative wine marketers for decades. It was a real delight to hear his thoughts on the latest vintage at the luncheon that followed the tasting.

Georges Duboeuf Among the Vines

Tasting Notes

There were sixteen of Mr. Duboeuf’s newest wines made available for tasting. Among the four white wines we found the Pouilly-Fuisse, Flower Label to be particularly noteworthy. Made entirely from Chardonnay grapes, it had a pale gold color, brilliantly transparent. The nose had the floweriness typical of Beaujolais, while the flavor offered hints of vanilla and honey. Mr. Duboeuf described it as “fine” and “classy,” with great promise for the future. It is delicious now, but after three or more years of aging this Pouilly-Fuisse should pair beautifully with a dish of fresh oysters or poached sea bass.

As much as we enjoyed the Pouilly-Fuisse , it was a red made from Gamay grapes that made the greatest impression on us, the Julienas, Chateau des Captains. The full-bodied cru is based around a village named for Julius Caesar. The growers believe the area was the site of the first vineyards planted by the Romans after Caesar’s conquest of Gaul.

Floral and spicy in the nose with good body, complex flavors, and a long finish, the Julienas, Chateau des Captains has already captured prizes in Macon and Paris. Mr. Duboeuf explained that terroir, the age of the vine, and the talent of the winemaker determine the ability of a wine to age well. He assured us that his Julienas “will age beautifully.” Four to six years is the recommended time of aging. We're looking forward to drinking the mature version with a grilled New York steak.

Though we loved the Julienas, perhaps the last word should go to the Moulin-a-Vent, Domaine des Rosiers 2007. It won a Gold Medal in Paris and garnered a First Prize in Beaujolais. Only a small amount has been bottled for tasting. The Moulin-a-Vent may be young, but it is “well-built” and “refined” in the words of Mr. Duboeuf. He believes it will open up beautifully. It will be ready for bottling in two to three months, then aged five to six years to reach full maturity.

If it’s been a while since you’ve sipped a Beaujolais other than a Nouveau, it might be time to get reacquainted with the region’s more aged offerings. Remember, one of the appeals of Beaujolais is its affordability!