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Winner Details

FRANCE: Beaujolais

2019 GOLD: 2      SILVER: 3      BRONZE: 2      COMMENDED: 5
2018 GOLD: 0      SILVER: 3      BRONZE: 3      COMMENDED: 4

One or two grumbles, but overall there was plenty of warmth for the category from our tasters – particularly for the more ambitious cru wines. With their villages variation, they were seen as a popular and useful addition to the wine list, though sadly, not an especially cheap one. The days of the sub-£10 cru Beaujolais have largely gone the way of the dodo.

The AC Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages were better priced (if still not exactly cheap), and the kick-out rate was significantly higher, suggesting that you need to choose with care. Fortunately, we’ve already done it for you. Stick to the medal winners here and you won’t go wrong.

FROM THE TASTING TEAMS

‘This is an important category to list. I particularly like those with an earthy, rich style. It works really nicely with stews, and lots of types of food I serve.’ Jim Bass, Scarlet Hotel

‘These delivered what I expected. Different crus bring different characteristics. You make the wine list to go with the food, so it’s useful that they all delivered different styles.’ Laurent Richet MS, team leader

‘I think these were showing better than last year, and were more stylistically typical.’ Michael Fiducia, The Royal Automobile Club
‘I was expecting great things from these, but they were either very simple or trying to be what they weren’t, and overcomplicating themselves. They should be on gastropub lists, where they would be served with the type of food they suit best – good cooking served with a nice wine that’s not too pretentious.’ Angela Reddin, team leader

‘Beaujolais is definitely an important one for a wine list, and I’d want to have a couple of different appellations. I really liked the gamey and meaty flavours here.’ Pasquale Moschettieri, Benares Restaurant & Bar

‘I tend to prefer bigger Beaujolais, especially for the cuisine where I work, which is modern British, with heavy dishes.’ Giorgio Scarsella, The Stafford

Award winners

Found 12 wines

France: Beaujolais

Domaine du Vissoux, Chermette, Brouilly 2017, Beaujolais, France

Gold medal winner

As Domaine du Vissoux added a Gold medal to its pair of Silvers, Pasquale Moschettieri of Benares Restaurant & Bar described this Brouilly as having ‘a good aroma of black fruits, with judicious use of oak’, while Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross Kenilworth, Simpsons & Edgbaston praised it for its ‘good structure with lovely complexity on a palate that’s fruity and earthy, and with a finish that is long and sweet’.

£15.58 Enotria&Coe

Mommessin, Les Grandes Mises, Beaujolais-Villages 2017, Beaujolais, France

Gold medal winner

Amid praise for its value for money, judges elevated this to Gold, with its ‘pretty nose with plenty of ripe red fruits and bramble, leading to a softly structured palate’, according to The Royal Automobile Club’s Michael Fiducia, while Anita Vighova of Manor House Hotel enjoyed its ‘strawberries, redcurrants and hints of sweetness with nice acidity’. Scarlet Hotel’s Jim Bass found it ‘slightly spicy and earthy, with expressive cherry and tobacco notes, and some subtle tannins’, adding that ‘this would be great with a rich stew’.

£9.35 Matthew Clark

Louis Jadot, Château des Jacques, Fleurie 2014, Beaujolais, France

Silver medal winner

‘More of wine then a Beaujolais,’ was the intriguing opening remark of team leader Laurent Richet MS. ‘It has intensity and concentration alongside the floral aromas. There is a slight oxidative hint to the flavours and a nice touch of manure. This is ready for food,’ he concluded.

£11.58 Hatch Mansfield, Matthew Clark

Domaine du Vissoux, Chermette, Fleurie Poncié 2017, Beaujolais, France

Silver medal winner

‘Wow!’ said team leader Laurent Richet MS, ‘this is so expressive on the nose, brightly aromatic and floral – Fleurie perhaps? There are lovely red cherries that frame a good structure and lead to a lovely clean, fresh finish.’

£14.95 Enotria&Coe

Mommessin, Les Grandes Mises, Morgon 2016, Beaujolais, France

Silver medal winner

‘Good aroma of red cranberry and raspberry fruits, sweet oak and a nice floral note. The tannins and acid are well balanced in this well-structured wine that leads to a long finish,’ said Pasquale Moschettieri of Benares Restaurant & Bar.

£13.44 Matthew Clark

Maison Jean Loron, Domaine du Sabot, Beaujolais-Villages 2018, Beaujolais, France

Bronze medal winner

‘This would be great slightly chilled; this has good typicity with a light cherry nose and strawberry on the palate. Would work well in a pub,’ said Anita Vighova of Manor House Hotel.

£7.44 Majestic Commercial

Mommessin, Les Grandes Mises, Saint Amour 2017, Beaujolais, France

Bronze medal winner

‘This is very fruity with dark cherry and sweet kirsch; the oak is well handled and it’s a great example; feels like it has the weight of a cru Morgan,’ noted Alan Bednarski of Texture.

£13.74 Matthew Clark

Château de Pougelon, Brouilly 2018, Beaujolais, France

Commended medal winner

£9.98 VINS DESCOMBE

Domaine du Vissoux, Chermette, Origine Beaujolais 2017, Beaujolais, France

Commended medal winner

£11.58 Enotria&Coe

Château de Pougelon, Beaujolais-Villages 2018, Beaujolais, France

Commended medal winner

£8.88 VINS DESCOMBE

Château de Pougelon, Morgon 2018, Beaujolais, France

Commended medal winner

£10.32 VINS DESCOMBE

Mommessin, Les Grandes Mises, Côte de Brouilly 2017, Beaujolais, France

Commended medal winner

£13.24 Matthew Clark