What are the Beaujolais crus?

Forget everything you think you know about Beaujolais from the Nouveau hype. The ten Beaujolais crus are serious wines that have been winning over Burgundy lovers and sommeliers worldwide. All made from Gamay on granite soils in the northern hills of the region, they offer an incredible range of styles at prices that make Burgundy Pinot Noir look eye-watering.

The key to understanding the crus is their soil variations. Moulin-à-Vent sits on pink granite rich in manganese, producing the most structured, Burgundy-like wines that can age 10-20 years — some blind tasters have mistaken them for Pommard. Morgon, especially from the famous Côte du Py hillside, gives dark-fruited, mineral-driven wines with real depth. The French even coined a verb for how these wines evolve: "morgonner."

On the lighter side, Fleurie lives up to its name with iris, violet, and peach aromas — pure elegance in a glass. Chiroubles, the highest-altitude cru at up to 450 metres, is all about immediate charm: bright cherry fruit, low tannin, perfect for slightly chilling and drinking young.

The natural wine movement has been a huge catalyst for Beaujolais crus' revival. Pioneers like Marcel Lapierre and Jean Foillard brought attention back to the region with their transparent, terroir-driven wines made with minimal intervention and traditional semi-carbonic maceration — a technique where whole bunches ferment inside the grape berry before pressing, giving that signature Beaujolais juiciness without harsh tannins.

Brouilly is the largest cru and often the most affordable entry point, while tiny Chénas (just 240 hectares) is the hidden gem worth seeking out.