2016 Beaujolais: Hail, Yes

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | MARCH 20, 2018

Hot on the heels of the superb if atypically ripe and powerful 2015s, most 2016 Beaujolais are built along more classical lines, emphasizing lively, sharply delineated red fruit, floral and spice qualities and offering succulent early drinkability. Readers whose idea of great Beaujolais is defined by years like 2014 and 2013 (both outstanding vintages) are going to find plenty to like in the 2016s. Unfortunately, severe hail events in some of the region’s best vineyards cut production for many producers, often dramatically.

Vines in Morgon on June 4, 2016, the morning after a violent hailstorm 

Beaujolais Makes Its Move

Thanks to a number of factors, including a recent eight-year run of very good to spectacular vintages (2012 being the sole weak link in the chain), worldwide demand for wines from top Beaujolais estates has been climbing steadily. Numerous importers, wholesalers and retailers with whom I regularly speak have told me that their allocations of the most-in-demand bottlings from 2015 and 2016 were often pre-sold before the wines even hit U.S. ports. Many of the producers that I visited this past October noted that they’ve never had so many requests for cellar visits – and new customers in general – and that many of these oenophiles are Burgundy lovers who have been forced to cut back their purchases from the Côte d’Or, often severely, because of skyrocketing prices and diminishing availability. Then there’s the matter of value, which strongly favors Beaujolais as top-notch bottlings can often deliver astounding quality when compared to wines from pretty much any other region of France.