WineRegiionsOld WorldFranceBurgandy
Beaujolais
This huge district is famous for producing the only Gamay wine to gain
classic status - a purple-colored, fresh, light and quaffing wine that accounts
for no less than six out of every ten bottles of Burgundy produced each
year.
THE FACTORS THAT MAKE MOST BEAUJOLAIS the wine that it is are the grape
variety, the method of vilification and the sheer volume of production.
A massive amount of Beaujolais is produced each year - two-and-a-half times
the entire red and white wine production of the rest of Burgundy put together
- and more than half is sold as Beaujolais Primeur (Beaujolais Nouveau).
The profit generated by Beaujolais Primeur is considerable, but the wine
itself ought not to be taken too seriously To be fair, no Beaujolais wine
maker claims that his Primeur is a fine wine; if somebody did he would not
be thanked by the rest of the producers. It would destroy the carefully
marketed image of a young wine to be consumed in copious quantities. Beaujolais
Primeur is an honest, fun wine that promotes a greater awareness of wine
per se. Its role, can be compared to white zinfindel, and Liebfraumilch,
as attracting new wine-drinkers.