WINE:The French wine still has the power to delight wine enthusiasts - despite some difficult times for growers, writes John Wilson
THERE ARE FEW wines more instantly pleasing than Beaujolais. Light, exuberant and fruity, it is the perfect pick-me-up, a wonderfully refreshing glass of wine. Throw in some charcuterie, a few slices of salami, a pork terrine or pâté, definitely some crusty French bread, and a simple green salad, and you have the makings of a perfect meal. Ideally you will be in France, the sun will be out, and you will be sitting at a picnic table covered with gingham cloth, by the side of a slow-flowing river.
Basic Beaujolais is rarely anything to get excited about, but the next step up, Beaujolais Villages, is the perfect glugger, a wine to be served lightly chilled, and then knocked back with gusto. The top 10 "crus" or villages of Beaujolais offer a good deal more class, but still remain a hedonist's delight. These are perfect bistro wines, ideally suited to the wine bar, too. Most recent vintages have been excellent, so sales should be booming. And yet the past five years have seen Beaujolais lurch from crisis to crisis, with many growers going into liquidation.
Beaujolais Nouveau is one of the problems. For many years, this provided copious amounts of early cash for producers, but most of us have come to realise that drinking acidic bubblegum juice is not all it is cracked up to be. Sales of Nouveau have been steadily falling. Many producers in the region have been adding sugar to their juice to boost alcohol, leading to big, blowsy wines without finesse. Fortunately, there are still plenty of good producers around, and prices remain very reasonable. These people deserve our support. A few months back, I spoke to Olivier Merlin, one of the leading producers, who has a more positive view on the future.
"Beaujolais", he says, "will come back. People will get tired of big jammy wines. At the moment, we have forgotten the fundamental things about wine. It is like bread, it is simple, it is not about concentration, it is all about balance. The vast majority of Beaujolais is awful, but the potential of the vineyards is great. They just need to change a few things. If you pay attention to your vines, pick ripe grapes, and stop using technological yeasts, you can make good wine."
Merlin is scathing about Beaujolais Nouveau. "Too many just pick as soon as they can, and therefore the grapes are never ripe. Beaujolais should never have acidity, but it always does. The Gamay grape is not noble, except in certain kinds of soil. Pure granite with lots of gneiss; we are unique around the world. I know the potential of the area, and the potential to make great wine is here. The French have known this for a century. If you look at the price in 1900, Moulin-à-Vent was up there with all the great wines."
Merlin, who also makes superb wines in nearby Mâcon, Saint Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé, is a newcomer to the area. Neither he nor his wife Corinne were born to winemaking, but he thinks this was an advantage. "You are always curious, and you can think freely. Beaujolais has problems and must change. The crisis is very strong. People do not have a lot of money to invest in the vineyard and the future. It will not be easy, but if you don't change, you die." Merlin is confident enough to invest further, and recently bought 1.5 hectares of La Rochelle in Moulin-à-Vent. "I am very happy about this, and will buy more land. In the long-term, I am optimistic. I believe that our time is coming."
There are 10 recognised "crus" in Beaujolais, all to the north of the region. The soils vary, but all have underlying granite that allow the Gamay grape to ripen fully. The various topsoils and local climate provide the difference between each village. This, by the way, is one of the prettiest vineyards of France, with picturesque villages nestling on rolling hills. The two richest, biggest wines generally come from Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. These are often firm in their youth, and benefit from a few years in the bottle. Locally, these are often drunk with Charolais beef. The lightest wines, often beautifully perfumed, are from Brouilly and Côtes de Brouilly, the latter generally being superior. In between, you will find the most joyous wines, full of soft but exuberant fruit, and a silky, tannin-free finish. The best known in this country is Fleurie, but Chénas, Juliénas, Saint Amour, Chiroubles and Régnié are all capable of giving huge pleasure.
Moulin-à-Vent 2005, Olivier Merlin, 13%, €25.An impeccably balanced wine with soft easy fruits, good intensity and length. This is one of those beautifully harmonious wines that grows in the glass, with a lovely harmony and subtlety. By the end of the bottle, you will be convinced. Stockists: McCabe's, Mount Merrion; The Gables, Foxrock; Next Door, Kilkee, Co. Clare; www.thestoreroom.ie
Morgon Les Charmes 2006, Jean-Marc Burgaud, 13%, €17.50. This took a bit of time to open out, but after an hour it was perfect with some cold ham and salad. Light, toothsome cherry fruits, with a lovely lift, and very impressive length. Probus Wines, Oughterard; Mad about Wine, Moycullen; Daly's, Boyle; The Poppyseed, Clarinbridge; The Great Escape, Barna; Cases, Galway; The Wicklow Wine Co; Next Door, Enfield; Morton's Firhouse.
Fleurie 2006, Domaine de la Madonne, 13%, €16.95.Cool, elegant and delicious raspberry fruits with a smooth, but refreshing finish. This would be perfect with lunch, or whenever something light is called for. Stockists: Mitchell & Son, Kildare St, Glasthule and Rathfarnham; World Wide Wines,Waterford; Anderson's Food Hall, Glasnevin.
Beaujolais Villages 2006, Domaine André Cologne, 13%, €11.99.One of the better Fleurie producers, André Cologne also makes a delicious Beaujolais, brimful with supple easy cherries and strawberries, and a rounded finish. Serve lightly chilled on its own, with lunch or cold meats. Stockist: Superquinn.
jwilson@irish-times.ie