Current Beaujolais Releases

The hot streak of very good to excellent vintages that Beaujolais enjoyed from 2009 through 2011 took a breather with the lighter, sometimes lean and herbal 2012s, then picked up again with the often outstanding, fruit-driven 2013s. Unfortunately for long-time fans of these wines, the international market has copped to their little insider secret, and demand has never been as strong for the best wines and producers as it is today.

Value Still Abounds - Even With Rising Prices

Even with the recent uptick in prices, most Beaujolais bottlings still deliver exceptional bang for the buck, especially if one explores less-celebrated producers whose wines approach and often match the quality of those from the best-known estates. Beaujolais does have its share of blue chip domains, the demand for whose wines far outstrips supply; believe it or not, there’s an active grey market for some of these bottles similar to that for small-production Burgundies. While prices haven’t approached the same nosebleed levels, I am seeing more and more high-end Beaujolais popping up outside the authorized distribution network. For example, one of the region's most famous producers, Yvon Métras, doesn't even have an American importer, but that hasn't stopped industrious U.S. retailers and sommeliers from sourcing the wines in Europe, often paying full retail if necessary, to be able to offer them to their customers.