Wednesday 31 October 2012

Beaujolais 2011 and The Wine Society


A couple of months ago I wrote about my recently reignited passion for Beaujolais, so I was delighted when a letter arrived earlier this month from The Wine Society detailing their comprehensive selection of these wines from the delicious 2011 vintage. Decent Beaujolais can be a challenge to track down, yet The Wine Society is offering more than two dozen wines, representing all 10 crus. (Berry Bros also has a good range from this vintage, but it is about half the size.)

This offer from The Wine Society reminded me why I love the organisation so much – it is a co-operative, so owned and run by its members and able, therefore, to make some interesting things available to their well informed and enthusiastic customer base. Their mailings are a pleasure to read, in this case, explaining the differences between the 10 crus, with nuggets of information such as how Chénas's name is derived from the local oak forests and that Juliénas is named after Julius Caesar (and that it's a 'perfect steak-and-chips red').

Moulin-à-Vent and Côte de Brouilly are particularly recommended from 2011, but mixed cases will also give a memorable taste of the vintage and include wines from these crus. The offer continues until Sunday 11th November while stocks last.

If you aren't yet a member yet of The Wine Society, you should join up (it costs £40 for lifetime membership). As well as an expansive and competitively priced range of wines, the Society organises regular tastings and dinners, as well as offering other benefits to members. They also have an outlet in France, so wines can be purchased at duty-free rates – handy in the run up to Christmas!

(I have to confess, I am not actually a member myself, but had the good sense to marry someone who is!)

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