South of Burgundy, Beaujolais is Gamay country. Broad Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages lead north to ten crus, where granite, altitude and village names bring different shades to the grape.
Morgon can be darker and more grounded, especially around Côte du Py. Fleurie is more perfumed, while Moulin-à-Vent has more firmness and can age. Brouilly is rounder; Côte de Brouilly is more mineral and stony on its volcanic hill. Lapierre, Foillard, Thévenet and Breton helped make Morgon a centre of the low-intervention revival that returned Beaujolais to serious wine lists.
Inside the region
2 named areas
Each guide keeps its place within Beaujolais clear, with a direct route back to the map.
- 01Beaujolais Regional3 producersBeaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages offer a broad introduction to the region: bright, fruit-forward Gamay, with some Chardonnay in the mix. They are usually easier and lighter in feel than the crus.
- 02Les 10 Crus19 producersThe ten Beaujolais crus are named village appellations where Gamay changes character. Morgon can be darker and more mineral, Fleurie more perfumed, and Moulin-à-Vent firmer and more age-worthy.
A considered starting point
Producer profiles
4 producers offer different ways into Beaujolais. Open the full directory when you want every producer currently placed in the region.
- Jean FoillardJean Foillard makes Morgon with whole-bunch carbonic maceration, very low sulfur use and a signature of ripe fruit, mineral lift and silky tannin.
- Marcel LapierreMarcel Lapierre is a Villié-Morgon domaine founded in 1909, centred on Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc from Morgon and known for organic farming, whole-cluster carbonic maceration and two sulfur versions of one cuvée.
- Clos de la RoiletteFleurie estate with standard, late drinking and Burgundian barrel aged cuvées from the Coudert family.
- Château ThivinChâteau Thivin makes Côte de Brouilly wines from hand picked fruit, including Les Sept Vignes, a Gamay noir blend with some Chardonnay.