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The Rise and Rise of Cru Beaujolais - The Gang of Four

The Rise and Rise of Cru Beaujolais - The Gang of Four

If you want to impress your local Sommelier or group of wine nerd friends, then we advise ordering a bottle of Cru Beaujolais the next time you see one on a restaurant list.  Especially if the names Foillard, Thevenet, or Breton pop up on the wine list.

These Beaujolais producers are so far removed from what one generally expects of 'a Beaujolais' that wine lovers get a shock the first time they try one. The name and appellation have been somewhat tarnished by the easy-drinking light-bodied Gamay based red wines that have flooded international wine markets since the Eighties. You probably remember the annual campaign of Beaujolais Nouveau that arrived every year and delivered somewhat quaffable wines but nothing too special.

Sure the Beaujolais Nouveau promotion certainly drew attention to this Burgundian region and the Gamay grape. Still, in general, wine lovers tended to stereotype Beaujolais as a region for simple table wines to be splashed around at parties and not thought about too much.

Enter the 'Gang of Four', a term coined by author and famed US retailer Kermit Lynch to describe the rise and rise of very high-quality Cru Beaujolais producers, who as a group started to challenge the Pinot based wines of Burgundy proper. Firstly, they were made meticulously from good sites and often not using the standard carbonic maceration technique, which the region had until then had been known for.  (As a reminder, carbonic maceration produces simple, fruity wines for early consumption).

The Gang of Four are Jean Foillard, Thevenet, Guy Breton and Marcel Lapierre. These wines from these outstanding producers have the structure of great Burgundy with similar wondrous perfume and seriousness. Still, compared to the ever more expensive Burgundy, they are much more affordable.

They as a group have revolutionised the perception of Beaujolais as a region so that today Cru Beaujolais is the darling of Sommeliers and astute wine lovers the world over. Order a bottle of any of these producers in a restaurant and watch your Sommelier stand to attention! Such is their regard within the wine industry.

We've also thrown in a superb value Beaujolais from the brilliant producer, Jean-Paul Dubost, which is currently on pour at our bar, much to the pleasure of our customers. It delivers incredible depth and quality for its humble price point, a gorgeous Beaujolais made biodynamically from fruit in the village of Lantignie, which is currently pushing for Cru status, alongside the other 10 Cru villages of (north to south) St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, and Côte de Brouilly. Each one unique and different.

So we hope this blog inspires you to rediscover this beautiful region and its impressive wines, as interpreted by some of the best winemakers in France. Enjoy.

Cheers 

The Wine Experience Team

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