($17):  Saint-Amour is the most northern Beaujolais cru and the second smallest, after Chénas.  Clay in the granitic soil here adds an oomph to the wines, according to growers to whom I spoke.  Ferraud’s is wonderfully fragrant and immediately enticing.  After its floral allure, its power comes as a surprise, but a welcome one because it is not overdone. … Read more

($30):  Though Ferraud’s wines have been in the U.S. market in the past, they currently have no importer, which is a shame because they consistently make distinctive Beaujolais.  (The prices I quote come from a world-wide averages.)   My experience with their wines comes from decades ago when they were imported and, more recently, drinking them in Paris bistros. … Read more

($25):  Ferraud has had presence on the U.S. market for decades, but currently lacks an importer.  That’s a shame because their wines are distinctive and unique.  Take this one — a classic Moulin-à-Vent with fruit-infused charm, minerality, and a lovely fleshiness. … Read more

($25, Schatzi Wines):  Consumers can select anything that Domaine Ruet makes and be happy with it.  This Morgon, from the climat (or vineyard) Douby, is sensational.  It has the firmness for which Morgon is known, but with a charming fruitiness and haunting minerality. … Read more

($14):  Beaujolais-Villages is a wine that comes from any one or a combination of 38 specified villages, and the category is thought to have the potential for more interesting wines compared to those labeled Beaujolais.  This one is juicy, with good weight and concentration, yet not heavy or overly fruity. … Read more

($25):  Growers in Moulin-à-Vent, the most robust of the 10 crus of Beaujolais, have embraced the concept of making wines from specific sites, just as in the Côte d’Or, their more famous neighbor in Burgundy to the north.  En Mortperay is one such site, situated on the edge of the appellation, bordering Fleurie. … Read more

($30):  The Côte du Py is arguably the most famous climat or vineyard in Morgon and possibly all of Beaujolais.  Composed of back stone, it can be home to power and dense wines that need considerable age before revealing their charms. … Read more

($20):  Ferraud, though lacking a U.S. importer now, had been in this market for decades and is a well-established name with a proven track record.  Yves-Dominique Ferraud told me he thought the 2018 vintage in Beaujolais was a combination of the ripeness of 2015 and the raciness of 2016.… Read more

($23, Schatzi Wines):  I recently tasted six Beaujolais from this producer, one made without added sulfur, from three different vintages, 2016, 2017 and 2018.  They were stunning across the board and demonstrated the enormous talent at the domaine. They have just under 3 acres on the slopes of Côte de Brouilly, one of the 10 crus of Beaujolais. … Read more

($23):  The Lameloise family, whose name is synonymous with fine dining because of their Michelin 3-star restaurant in nearby Chagny, owns the vineyard in Chénas, the smallest of the 10 crus of Beaujolais, while Dominique Piron makes the wines.  Floral and elegant, it’s a graceful wine that dances on the palate. … Read more

($15):  Côte de Brouilly, one of the 10 crus, or named villages of Beaujolais, is really a small mountain that emerges from Brouilly, another of the named villages.  It has many lieux-dits (place names) on its slope.  More and more, Beaujolais producers are identifying specific sites within the cru because they believe the wines are distinctive and reflect the site, just as in the rest of Burgundy. … Read more