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First codification for
nouveau wine release : 13th November 1951
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Surface area
: 16 000 ha shared between two appellations, Beaujolais,
which produces 2/3 of the global volume of Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais-Villages,
which produces the remaining 1/3.
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Production (in
: 450 000 hl or 60 million bottles. Beaujolais
Nouveau represents 1/3 of the vinegrowing area's total production.
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Yield per hectare
: it depends on the AOC, which is either Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages. The volume released on to the market are controlled and vary from year to year.
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Grape variety
: gamay noir à jus blanc
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Colour : red
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Pruning type
: Guyot, trained on wires, pruned to 6 to 8 eyes for the Beaujolais
and short Goblet (3 to 5 branches) for the Beaujolais-Villages.
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Number of plants per
hectare : from 7000 to 13 000 for the Beaujolais and from 8 000
to 13 000 for the Beaujolais-Villages, 10 000 vines on average.
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Soil type : in
the southern part, also called 'low Beaujolais' are chalk clay soils
dating from the Mesozoic era, (sandstone, white limestone, limestone
with gryphite, Pierre Dorée (golden stone)); further to the north
are alluvium deposits from the Tertiary and Quaternary eras. For the
Beaujolais-Villages the soils are made up of granite and sand with a
little clay that give very light acidic soils.
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Communes with
the right to the appellation name : 110 wine producing communes.
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Vinification
: in whole bunches. This vinification type is specific to the Beaujolais
winemaking area. Length of fermentation on the skins: from 4 to 5 days.
After vatting and the first, alcoholic, fermentation, the grapes are
pressed and the run off and press juices are assembled then the second,
malo-lactic fermentation takes place, Its role is to render the wines
supple in removing their acidity.
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Appellation extras
There are a lot of them, the first of which is its unique place in the
wine universe. Beaujolais Nouveau is the leader by far of nouveau wines
in its incomparable success. Its fame is immense. It is, more than anything
else, a celebration wine, a wine to enjoy with friends. This joyful
wine has its place everywhere. Its a talkative wine, either you love
it or you hate it. Everyone talks about it. Though it is often misunderstood.
The History of Beaujolais Nouveau - from a wine tradition that has become,
through a simple decree and the energy supplied by the producers, a
phenomenon of our society - has got nothing to do with marketing strategy
and advertising budgets. In addition to the numerous actors who took
part in the evolution of the phenomenon each giving a part of him or
herself to its construction, there is the magic of a plant, the Gamay
Noir à Jus Blanc. This wonderful grape variety that is so well
suited to making wines to drink young that are fruity and slide down
the throat. |
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