First premier cru Beaujolais from top sites in Fleurie?
Beaujolais winemakers in the Fleurie appellation have backed a proposal to seek premier cru status for top vineyard sites, in a potentially groundbreaking move for the French region.
More than 85% of Fleurie wine-growers voted in favour of the premier cru plan, said local officials. Those present accounted for 60% of the appellation’s surface area.
An application will now be made to national appellation body INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité). ‘It’s exciting for the region,’ said winemaker Grégoire Hoppenot, secretary of the Fleurie appellation.
Seven Fleurie lieux-dits, or sites, out of more than 40 candidates will be proposed for premier cru status: Grille Midi, La Chapelle des Bois, La Madone, La Roilette, Les Garants, Les Moriers and Poncié. This follows several years of tastings and soil investigations, as well as analysis of prices and historical usage of lieu-dit names, among other factors.
Fleurie premier cru wines would top a Burgundy-style pyramid, sitting above other Fleurie wines, with regional Beaujolais at the base. It’s hoped that will make the area easier for wine drinkers to understand, said Hoppenot.
Prices may rise on certain wines, yet producers argue this is necessary to some extent. While Beaujolais wines can offer
