F or many years, I argued that the two best-value wines you could buy were Muscadet and Beaujolais. Both were underappreciated and therefore underpriced. Sadly, this is no longer the case. Prices for both have been steadily rising for the last few years. I shouldn’t be unhappy as I believe that wine producers should receive a fair price for their work, but some of the Beaujolais Crus are now selling for over €50 a bottle.
Over the last few months I have sought out some slightly less expensive crus and today I feature four wines that, while not cheap, do offer value for money.
All red Beaujolais is made from the gamay grape. The most basic quality level is simply labelled Beaujolais, followed by Beaujolais-Villages, a step up. I covered these earlier this year .
Then there are 10 crus, the top tier of villages that produce the best wines. Each wine is said to have a unique character due to variations in the granitic soils in each commune. Usually this holds true: Fleurie is generally smooth and elegant, Moulin-à-Vent powerful and structured. These are probably the best-known crus; the others are Morgon, Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Régnié, Chiroubles, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly. I list them as they are worth remembering. None of the crus will have the name Beaujolais on the label.
When eating out, I frequently order a Beaujolais Cru. They go well with just about every kind of savoury food, from fish to red meats. They are usually low in alcohol, although levels are increasing due to climate change, and despite the price increases some are still reasonably priced.
WinesDirect.ie always has an impeccable selection of Beaujolais, including wines from Bret Brothers and the Terres Dorées below. So too does Lecaveau.ie , including a range of low-intervention wines.
Medium bodied with fresh dark cherry and mulberry fruits and a herbal note. Classic Beaujolais. Enjoy with salmon, tuna or most white meats.
Violet aromas with delectable, supple concentrated strawberry fruits, a mouth-watering acidity and good length. A personal favourite.
From Wines Direct, Athlone and Mullingar, Co Westmeath; WinesDirect.ie
Proof that great Beaujolais doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Beautiful, pure elegant dark fruits with a mineral edge and great length. A star.
Delicious plump fresh plum and dark cherry fruits with real concentration and length. Try it with roast pork, roast chicken or mushroom dishes.
Whelehans, Loughlinstown, Dublin 18; whelehanswines.ie