The Terroir

With seventy-three different soil types over a relatively small surface area, the Beaujolais region gives a really wide palate of different shades of aroma and flavour to the Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc grape.

From the varied soil types, the two main ones are:

• Mainly limestone-clay soils: to the south in the Pierre Dorées (golden stone) area where the Beaujolais appellation is made. This is one of the most beautiful French vinegrowing areas, where the winemakers work wonders to make fruity aromatic wines that combine finesse and elegance.
  This zone, that is the most far-spread of the region, gives the eye a succession of full, rounded hills where the vines are planted in such a way as to make the very best possible use of the sun’s energy.

• Mainly granitic soils : to the north and right up to Villefranche-en-Beaujolais, spreads the land where Beaujolais-Villages vines grow. Each of the thirty-eight villages that can use this appellation name is on granite but the properties of the rock vary from one to the next.
  Porphyry, schist, diorite and gravely debris that are all elements of the Hercynian chain – originating around 250 million years ago – effect the vines and give the wines of each village their specific characteristics.

The same story is shared by the ten Beaujolais Crus, each one flourishes in very different soils that are mainly schist and granite based.

Here the Gamay grape variety gives really good results with a very wide palate of aromas and powerful tannic structure. These wines can age longer.

This diversity in smells and flavours can not solely be put down to how the soil is made up, even though it does have a great influence.

The many different aspects that are given by the numerous hills are also deciding factors.

Without, of course, forgetting the each winemaker’s personal stamp made up of his know-how and style...