Beaujolais Wines: Gamay from Beaujolais-Villages and the Crus of Fleurie, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent

Beaujolais, Villages or Cru?

The short answer is where the grapes grow. Wines labelled simply Beaujolais come mostly from the south and are light and fruity. Beaujolais-Villages comes from 38 villages in the north, with more depth.

Above them are the ten crus, which put their own name on the label instead: Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly.

Fleurie is floral and silky, Morgon deeper and earthier, especially from the Côte du Py, and Moulin-à-Vent, often called the king of the crus, powerful and long lived. Chiroubles and Régnié are light and bright.

Gamay: The Grape of Beaujolais

Gamay wine is a light bodied red with strawberry, raspberry and cherry, soft tannins and fresh acidity. The crus add violet, spice and, with age, earthy notes that can resemble Pinot Noir.

That likeness is no accident: Gamay is a natural cross of Pinot Noir and the old white grape Gouais Blanc. The region sits right next door to Burgundy, and several Burgundy houses make wine here too.

Beaujolais Wine Brands in Our Range

Georges Duboeuf, the house that took the region's wines around the world, brings a Villages, Fleurie, Chiroubles and Moulin-à-Vent. Domaine de Vernus covers five crus from Chiroubles to Moulin-à-Vent, and Laura Lardy makes Fleurie, Morgon Côte du Py, Chénas and Moulin-à-Vent.

The Burgundy houses Louis Latour, Albert Bichot and Joseph Drouhin, together with Clos du Fief from Juliénas and Blain Soeur et Frère from the Côte de Brouilly, complete our selection.

Serving and Food Pairing

Serve Beaujolais slightly chilled, at 12 to 14 degrees, which makes the fruit sing. It loves charcuterie, roast chicken, pork and soft cheeses, and the fuller crus suit duck and mushroom dishes.

What Kind of Wine Is Beaujolais? Your Questions, Answered

What kind of wine is Beaujolais?

A light to medium bodied red from eastern France, made from Gamay. Styles range from simple, fruity Nouveau to structured crus, and a tiny amount of white is made from Chardonnay.

Is Beaujolais like Pinot Noir?

They are close cousins in style: both are light, fragrant and silky. Gamay is usually juicier and fruitier with softer tannins, while Pinot Noir is more savoury. Fine crus such as Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent come closest to red Burgundy.

What is Beaujolais Nouveau?

The first Beaujolais of each vintage, released on the third Thursday of November, only weeks after harvest. It is made to drink young; our range focuses on village wines and crus, which offer more depth.

Why Buy Beaujolais Wine at YourWines?

From a juicy village wine for a picnic to a Moulin-à-Vent for the cellar, you can buy Beaujolais wine online at a fair price, alongside the rest of our French wine range.

Every wine is chosen by our team, available by the dozen or as a six-pack, and shipping is free Australia wide with a surcharge for WA, TAS and remote areas. For more classic reds, explore our French red wine.