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This delicious, juicy style of wine, made in eastern France using gamay noir grapes, is world renowned for its ability to produce minimal-intervention ‘nouveau’ wines that can be consumed fresh and young. These are wines made how you’d imagine it was done in medieval times – by crushing grapes with filthy feet in a big round wooden tub and bottling it! It ranges from young, good-value wine to more premium Beaujolais cru wines, which have the structure to be held onto for up to 10 years while remaining fresh and juicy.

High acid and light tannins make Beaujolais a versatile, food-friendly dry red – think roasted white meats like pork and chicken, and salads. (Hurrah for lettuce and red wine: they aren’t commonly friends.) It is a brilliant light red for the daytime, even served with a slight chill, but don’t let that stop you from taking it well into the evening.

Georges Duboeuf, 2018, Beaujolais, $18.10

This is the definition of good-value Beaujolais, and one you might have seen around before. If it came down to a choice between this and a $20 pinot noir from anywhere, I’d 100 per cent be gunning for the Beaujolais. It’s deep but bright cherry in colour, with fresh red berries on the nose and palate and subtle savoury, spicy notes. 

This light, dry and highly quaffable wine makes for a lovely time served alongside a Sunday stuffed roast chook or even a relaxed lunch of turkey and cranberry sauce sandwiches.

Mommessin Grandes Mises Côte De Brouilly, 2018, Beaujolais, $23.99

Hailing from the base of extinct volcano Mont Brouilly, Mommessin employs sustainable farming methods – a big win in my eyes. It means that they care about the future of their land and their grapes, which I link to wine produced with love! Expect minerality, due to the volcanic terroir. It’s sophisticated, silky and subtly smoky with delicious red berry fruits. Pop some pork on your fork for this one.

Henry Fessy Morgon, 2018, Beaujolais, $26.99

This is a big boy Beaujolais. Morgon is one of the cru villages (cru meaning premium) of the Beaujolais region and, with Henry Fessy at the helm, generally produces more serious, robust, savoury, complex styles of Beaujolais. Expect dark red fruits like blackcurrants, cherries and plum, alongside pepper and spice on the nose. The palate is firm and savoury with gamey characteristics. This is very different to your quaffable, young light styles, so I’d suggest a richer food such as ye olde duck a l’orange or a duck liver pâte.

Dominique Piron Beaujolais-Villages, 2019, Beaujolais, $24.99

Dear vegans, go ahead and celebrate: this is one tasty vegan treat. A classic example of a delicious, fresh and bright Beaujolais, it’s incredibly smashable and a versatile daytime red that could benefit from a chill if the weather permits. Dominique Piron has been making Beaujolais for more than four centuries, so I think we can rest assured – they’ve got this! Expect intense floral perfume, as well as red fruit like raspberry and dried herbs. Delivering a smooth mouthfeel with a decent length and finish, this wine pairs well with a roast vegie salad.

Domaine de La Merize Moulin-à-Vent, 2012, Beaujolais, $41.99

It’s light-bodied yes, but expect ambitious intensity in all other areas from this truly premium Beaujolais, which has enough structure to handle age (as you will see by this 2012 example). Fruit from 60-year-old vines in tandem with aspects such as sun exposure, minimal intervention winemaking, and no oak means you are getting beautifully crafted, traditional and pure grape juice. The Moulin-à-Vent vineyard is the most prestigious of the 10 Beaujolais crus, and winemaker Patrick Bertrand is a stickler for traditional perfection. This is not a wine to be missed!

Henry Fessy Gamay Noir, 2019, Beaujolais, $15.99

This is another great-value drop from the premium house of Henry Fessy. The gamay noir is the truest form of the gamay grape, unlike other alternative gamay variants. This release shows soft pretty tannins, lush red fruits and blackcurrant with a velvety mouthfeel. For this price, I’d pick up a two-pack and bust out the cheese plate – your neighbours will come running.

Louis Latour Pinot Noir Les Pierres Dorées, 2018, Beaujolais, $39.99

A pinot noir in the Beaujolais section? Yes! The grape shares characteristics with gamay, and pinot noir is common in the area. Pinot noir, however, is slightly heavier bodied and slightly richer on the palette than the typically floral gamay used to make Beaujolais. You cannot go wrong with a wine from Louis Latour. They’ve been at it for 220 years in the neighbouring noble Burgundy region and recently expanded south to Beaujolais, where they planted what they excel in: pinot noir. A rich and lush wine, this is a relatively new planting from an old hand – that sounds like a wine adventure to me.

Marchand & Burch Morgon Gamay, 2018, Beaujolais $54.90

Meet the Marchand & Burch French collection – Australian winemakers expanding to create wine in Burgundy and Beaujolais. A beautiful assault on the senses, this Morgon Gamay packs a complex red-fruit punch to the nose with leathery, spice and peppery notes that transfer to the palate. Think exceptionally juicy berries, with pastilles and Ribena coming to mind. It’s a little pricier than your standard Beaujolais but well worth it for a weeknight treat, alongside a few pork sausages and light, fluffy mashed potatoes when the weather cools down.

Domaine du Vissoux Les Griottes, 2018, Beaujolais $34.99

This is a charming bottle of wine, and an entree to what Domaine du Vissoux is capable of in premium wine production. Les Griottes translates as ‘the small cherries’, in reference to the cherry trees growing alongside the vineyards and homestead in Saint-Vérand. (How quaint: it almost takes you there!) Domaine du Vissoux is a top-rated Beaujolais producer, and employs sustainable agricultural practices, which always makes me think the team genuinely love their land and produce. Light in body and moreishly approachable; beware, one glass of this wine will turn into two, which could quite quickly see the end of the bottle. Buy a few, just in case.

How should I drink Beaujolais?

Beaujolais should be drunk on a picnic rug, fresh out of the Esky where it’s been keeping a mild chill alongside your cold roast chicken and Brie sandwiches. Follow with a nap.

How do you say Beaujolais?

Beau – zhuh – lay.

What grape is Beaujolais?

Beaujolais is primarily made from the gamay noir (a cross of pinot noir and gouais blanc) and gamay grape.

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