May 17, 2010
Gamay
AOC Beaujolais
Beaujolais is an underappreciated region – it is often overshadowed by neighboring superstar Burgundy and all too frequently consumers don’t look past Beaujolais Nouveau to see what else is produced. But slowly and surely Beaujolais has started to really come into its own. The wines are gaining more and more attention as being food-friendly, approachable, delicious and well-structured. While it is important to take vintage reports with a grain of salt, there is zero disagreement that 2009 was a fantastic year that produced super-healthy grapes. When I was there in November I was really impressed by the quality of the wines I tasted, both in bottle and in tank.
The Pierre Chermette Beaujolais is an excellent example of the kind of elegant and drinkable (and very affordable) wines coming out of Beaujolais. Chermette is widely respected for his low-interventionist approach to winemaking – meaning he tries hard to work with the wine rather than manipulating it. His methods help to give the wine a voice and an individual character, something that you can actually taste in the glass. But don’t take my word for it, try this wine and see for yourself.
For more information on this wine, please check out its page in our Buying Guide.
If you have a chance to taste this wine, with friends or over dinner, I'd love to hear from you. Please send me your thoughts.