Beaujolais’ lesser-known whites are building up a following among independent wine merchants who praise the wines’ “sensible prices”, “food-friendly styles” and “consumer appeal”.
Made predominantly from Chardonnay, Beaujolais blanc and Beaujolais-Villages blanc are “well-suited to the British palate”, according to Mike Matthews from Clapham-based independent North & South Wines. The wines offer consumers “fresh acidity and minerality” with “really good balance”, he said during a Harpers/Inter Beaujolais merchants study trip to the region last week.
Celia Buridant from Sipp London described the whites as “food-friendly wines with good concentration and freshness”. Meirion Williams from Yapp Brothers added: “The whites are much more Burgundian in style” with good weight behind them.
For Christopher Piper from Devon-based Christopher Piper wines, Beaujolais blanc is a style that appeals to consumers because it challenges their preconception that Beaujolais only produces reds made from Gamay. “There is the curiosity level – people love trying something that is the reverse of the norm,” he said.
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Find out more about the trip by reading Laura Heywood’s blog.
Story by Laura Heywood
Courtesy of Harpers Wine & Spirit Trades Review
MAGICS EPIBLOG
Pssst! Don’t tell anyone but that knowledgeable sounding character mentioned above, Mike Matthews, that’s me.
We’ll just keep that between us. Alright!!