France · AOCs
Beaujolais
Granite-grown Gamay at its most joyful — from glou-glou to age-worthy Cru.
Just south of Mâcon, Beaujolais is Gamay country. On pink granite and schist in the north, the ten Crus — Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent and the rest — make structured, mineral reds that age beautifully; the flatter clay-limestone south gives bright, gulpable village wine. It was here that the modern natural-wine movement took root in the 1980s. ~14,000 ha.
Marcel Lapierre led the charge in Morgon.
ClimateSemi-continental, warming southward
Altitude200-500 m
Grapes
Gamay, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Aligoté, César
Soils
Pink GraniteBlue GraniteSchistClay-Limestone
Beaujolais is the birthplace of the "Gang of Four" natural winemakers.
