Every bottle of wine tells a story - the story of a country, the terroir, and the winemaker. These elements, and many more, come together to transform grapes into wine and the story of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais is one of the most compelling. Founded in 1964, Les Vins Georges Duboeuf is the #1 selling brand of Beaujolais in the world and is available in 140 countries. Located north of Lyon in eastern France, nearly all of the Beaujolais region's vines are devoted to the Gamay grape.
My Beaujolais story began when I was 16 and my father, a professional chef, gave me my very first bottle of wine - Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau. It may seem like an early start by American standards but my father wanted me to feel comfortable around wine in preparation for my year of study abroad. Even my father could not have imagined that many years later I would find myself sipping Beaujolais at a private tasting hosted by Georges Duboeuf and his son Franck.
Every year Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau is celebrated arond the world on the third Thursday of November, but there is much more to Beaujolais than that festive and young wine. A versatile wine that pairs beautifully with food from humble to haute, the beauty of Beaujolais is that each vintage and Cru is a unique expression of the Gamay grape. Acclaimed Chef (and Beaujolais enthusiast) David Bouley prepared the menu that accompanied our tasting but the wines pair just as well with a home cooked meal.
Georges DuBoeuf also makes white wine and the hint of citrus and balanced acid of this Pouilly-Fuissé Domaine Beranger ($36.99) was a great match with Chef Bouley's Homemade Blinis with Smoked Salmon, White Truffle Honey & Salmon Roe.
The 2013 Georges Duboeuf Crus Beaujolais wines are each named after the village where the grapes are harvested. Boasting beautiful body and complexity, the 10 Crus range in flavor from light & fruity to rich & supple and are best served slightly chilled. To get you started, here are three of my favorites from the tasting.
Georges Duboeuf Chiroubles 2013 ($17.99)
Beautiful deep garnet. Seductively aromatic with notes of violet, spice, and ripe black fruit. Very smooth.
Georges Duboeuf Château des Déduits Fleurie 2013 ($19.99)
Silky smooth. Lovely aromas of violet, rose, and red fruits. A romantic red.
Georges Duboeuf Morgon Jean-Ernest Descombes 2013 ($20.99)
Peppery and robust. A full-bodied red wine that can age 6-7 years. Voluptuous!
