Beautiful Beaujolais

Those contentious four words were not from my lips. They were uttered by a respected and seasoned winemaker when discussing what lies ahead for Beaujolais. Uttered without intent to inflame, nevertheless, uttered as a statement of fact, with palpable conviction behind each syllable. From where he stands, the gilded Domaines up in the Côte d’Or face a predicament: few mortals can afford to think about the wines, let alone drink them. Just down the autoroute, conveniently tucked between Mâconnais and Lyon, nestles a region for whom expensive is a bottle selling for more than single figure euros. I’m not being facetious. NEAL MARTIN

Beaujolais rise and rise continues unabated and unlike the dark times of the Nouveau "craze", this time round it's driven by an ever-expanding variety of brilliant wines that run the gamut from mid-weighted, pleasure-filled bistro fodder to serious, structured and complex wines that reflect the diversity of the many crus of Beaujolais. 
For those who have had the chance to visit the region, you will know how striking the landscape is scattered with wild forest and gnarly old vines digging their roots into the incredibly complex array of granites, sand and rock that patchwork the rolling hills.

Here you will find wines that echo their distinctive terroirs in much the same way as their neighbours in the Cote. Perfumed Volnay, bright and elegant Chambolle and rich and powerful Gevrey can be echoed in the wines from Fleurie, Cote de Brouilly and Morgon respectively, and at a fraction of the cost. These wines exist in their own paradigm, however. It's a far cry from the millionaire row of Grand Cru vineyards along the Routes des Grand Crus. Here, the wines, people and food are far more humble and down to earth and that continues to keep the quality-to-price ration here very much in our favour.  

Today the wines offer better value than ever as the improvements in quality and dimension of the wines outstrips inflation, at least for now. We continue to be ever impressed with the growing offering from this striking region, and Saturday tasting will offer more than a glimpse of the greatness going on.