Louis Jadot 2014 Beaujolais-Villages

Looking for a smooth sipper? Get your game on with Gamay. Looking beyond Beaujolais Nouveau has its rewards.

Burgundy With A Twist

The twin powers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay rule most of France’s famed Burgundy region. In Beaujolais, located in the southern part of Burgundy, things are different.

The granite-laden soil is ideal for Gamay. No other region in the world comes close to producing great wine from this red grape.

Relax – It’s Gamay

Gamay is an easy-going grape. It has soft, rounded edges without the barriers of oaky tannins. Part of it is achieved through the use of carbonic maceration. This technique, perfected in Beaujolais, ferments most of the wine inside the grapes, which are crushed by gravity and their own weight. Maybe this is why Gamay is so mellow – they bypass the process of pressing and crushing the juice out of the grapes first.

On a relaxing evening, the Green Dragon and I uncorked the 2014 Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages. Beaujolais Villages is an AOC in the northern part of the region comprised of 39 villages with superior vineyards.

Some call Beaujolais a white wine that’s red in color because of its refreshing quality. It also drinks well slightly chilled. The carbonic maceration used in most Beaujolais wines accents the fruity flavors of the grape with miniscule tannins.

The Inside Sip

The Louis Jadot is a delicious bargain at an SRP of only $13.99. It is medium in body and full in juicy red berry flavors. It works well with light meat entrees and we found it enjoyable as an after dinner bottle.

I’d also recommend this to wine lovers who favor juicy flavors over more austere, earthy wines. For those new to French wines, this is a great starting point. It offers easy to understand goodness at a great price point.

Full disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.

Technorati Tags: Beaujolais,French wine,wine

Louis Jadot 2013 Beaujolais-Villages

In an average year 12 million cases of Beaujolais wine is produced in the Burgundy region of France. All those wine drinkers can’t be wrong!

Gamay Has Game

All Beaujolais wine is made from 100% Gamay grapes. Gamay reigns supreme in the region and accounts for 98% of all grapes grown there.
Wines from Beaujolais are affordable, fruit driven and easy to drink. That’s a recipe that winemakers attempt to duplicate the world over.
Don’t be confused by the hype surrounding Beaujolais Nouveau. That wine is picked, fermented, bottled and at your wine store in a matter of weeks. There is considerable hoopla around this first release of wine – but to our taste it is a pale shadow of “real” Beaujolais.
Never Miss A Toledo Wines and Vines Post – Click To Subscribe

Beaujolais-Villages Is A Step Up

There are three tiers of wine in Beaujolais. On the bottom rung is basic Beaujolais, which accounts for the majority of wine produced in the region. The next step up is Beaujolais-Villages, which is blend of wines made from 35 villages that consistently produce better grapes. There is a bit of a bump in price, but you are still comfortably below $20 in most cases.
On the top tier are Cru Beaujolais wines which are named for the village that produces this highest quality vine. Prices can be double or more than Beaujolais-Villages.

Louis Jadot A Consistent Producer

Louis Jadot is a name to trust for Beaujolais wines. We popped the cork on the 2013 Louis Jadot B-V to enjoy with a dinner of curry carrot ginger soup and quiche.
This deep ruby wine delivers flavor in spades. It is fermented in stainless steel so there are no aggressive tannins. The flavor flows with berry fruit without overdoing it. It’s easy drinking and a nice pairing with the the savory spiced dishes we had.
With a  SRP of $13.99, this is a wine you could purchase by the case for entertaining or a special event. This will make you a Beaujolais believer and have you thirsting to try some of the more expensive wines from the region.
Gamay has game!
Full disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.