THE BIGGEST DRAW of France’s Beaujolais wine region is its diversity. Located near Lyon, the area is characterized by sprawling crus—high-quality vineyards—in the north, quaint villages in the centre, and appellations in the south, where the red Gamay grape thrives on granite-based soil.
Fans of the variety will know it best from the bright, acidic Beaujolais Nouveau wine, released annually on the third Thursday of November to mark the end of the harvest in France. Festivals are held all throughout the region to celebrate the occasion, with music, fireworks, and food galore.
But for us folks here in Vancouver who can’t party it up in a French vineyard, sipping Beaujolais Nouveau is an accessible entry point to a region that produces an incredible variety of wines. Harry Hertscheg, executive director of the Vancouver International Wine Festival, tells Stir that the stellar quality of Beaujolais wines is indicative of what the whole country has to offer.
“French wines have long been the standard that all winemakers strive to equal and surpass,” he says. “Nowhere else do wines reflect so profoundly their place in the world.”
So, at the festival, which runs from March 7 to 14 at various venues around Vancouver, guests can compare and contrast all the expressive flavour profiles of wines from gold-standard makers—and France is in the spotlight this year.
“When you sip a French wine, you’re taking a journey to the corner of France from which it sprung,” Hertscheg shares. “Even better, you’ll be able to speak to a key member of the winery—an owner, a winemaker, a brand ambassador—who can share the stories behind their wines.”
The best place to do that is at the Grand Tasting Room, one of the main draws of the annual festival. It’ll be set up at the Vancouver Convention Centre over the weekend of March 12 to 14, featuring 27 winery booths, a themed Vive la France wine bar, and tasting stations with 10 regions represented, from Beaujolais to Bordeaux.
As for a game plan? “The best way to take the plunge is to find a winery table with nobody in front of it and try a sample or a flight of wines,” Hertscheg says. “Ask the principal wearing a blue lanyard anything you want to know about their winery and wines. They’ve travelled to Vancouver to pour their wines and answer your questions.”
You’ll find B.C. wines near the entrance of the room, and French wines toward the back. So grab a glass (and an all-important spit cup) and get ready to taste. Here are five of the Beaujolais gems Hertscheg recommends sipping at the Grand Tasting Room, with a few flavour notes for each.
Dining and Cooking