Typical wine writer hype? Not really, according to major growers and Georges Duboeuf, perhaps the most famous négociant/producer in the region.  2009 may be the best year for Beaujolais “… of a lifetime”.  Which is really good news for a region that hasn’t enjoyed much popularity or notoriety in recent years.

And, the timing is right for this wine with its shorter aging requirements and quicker to market cycle.  It’s making its appearance in the fullness of a particularly hot summer season.  Beaujolais, made from the Gamay grape, is a great wine for warm weather cuisine.  Fruit-forward with a typically strawberry nose, its best served chilled and complements most everything from seafood and grilled meats to dessert.

When a vintage year is this uniformly good, you can’t go wrong if you just select offerings from recognized producers such as Duboeuf or Drouhin.  Avoid the Appellation Beaujolais Controlée which is the least selective production and look for Appellation Beaujolais-Villages Controlée.  These are selected from thirty or so designated villages which must meet more rigid requirements as to grape quality and production limitations.

For a real experience, look for Appellation (Village Name Here) Controlée from the ten highest ranked villages of Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Régnié, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Chenas, Juliénas and Saint-Amour.  These wines begin to resemble the Burgundy wine from further North by showing more complexity, body and an ability to mature somewhat with aging, especially those from Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent.  Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie and Juliénas are most typical of the style and most often meet my expectations for this very quaffable wine.

Cheers!