15 Inexpensive Bottles Of Beaujolais You Can Actually Get
One red wine that has been steadily growing in popularity worldwide is Beaujolais, grown from the region of the same name in eastern France within Burgundy. Sporting its own entire line of appellations and different winemaking traditions for centuries, the wine stands on the lighter side of the red wine family. Produced from the gamay grape, Beaujolais contains relatively high acidity and distinct notes of fruit in its flavor profile, ideal for those not looking for something as full-bodied as a cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir.
With so much Beaujolais coming out of France, there are a number of wines that deliver all the pleasure of a quality appellation while staying within a manageable budget. The wines on this list come from a variety of Beaujolais appellations, included based on complexity and depth within flavor. Recommended pairings, serving suggestions, and the legacies behind some of the more storied vineyards and appellations selected are included. As always, please remember to drink responsibly.
1. Michel Guignier Les Amethystes Beaujolais
Beaujolais vintner Michel Guignier specializes in Morgon, a Cru Beaujolais that has an earthy quality and silky mouthfeel reminiscent of Burgundy wines. Morgon wines are typically aged for five years, with Guignier aging his gamay grapes in oak casks while taking a strong focus on the soil quality around his vineyard in Villie-Morgon. The aging process and Guignier's keen attention to sulfur levels and sourcing his grapes from 50-year-old grape vines makes for his wine, Les Amethystes, to have a striking perfumed quality.
The 2021 Michel Guignier Les Amethystes Beaujolais has a darkly fruited flavor profile and a silky finish, with a lightness that can be appreciated on its own or paired with poultry-based cuisine. With Guignier having run his vineyard since 1989, Les Amethystes is the fruit of decades of hard work and expertise. The 2021 Michel Guignier Les Amethystes Beaujolais carries an average retail price of $18 per 750ml bottle.
2. Château de Javernand Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes
The Chiroubles region of France is renowned for its production of Beaujolais Cru, a tradition kept alive by the venerable Chateau de Javernand, with its Vieilles Vignes produced from the estate's oldest grape vines. The vineyard has been run by the same family for five generations, ever since 1917, maintaining their classic winemaking tradition with a growing modern evolution, with an emphasis on eco-friendly production. The 2020 Château de Javernand Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes is a clear example of longstanding tradition adapted for contemporary drinkers in a classic, yet accessible Beaujolais Cru.
A light and fresh wine, the Château de Javernand Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes has noticeable berry-based flavor notes shining through an acidic undercurrent. The wine's fuller body allows it to pair well with heartier cuisine, though still centered on white meat and cream-based sauces, while it is recommended to be aired before serving. The 2020 Château de Javernand Chiroubles Vieilles Vignes has an average retail price of $11, providing the curious with a perfectly affordable bottle of traditional Beaujolais Cru.
3. Aurélien Burgaud Beaujolais-Villages Grignette
In 2017, vintner Aurelien Burgaud returned to his familial roots in the Beaujolais region of France to embark on his own ambitious winemaking career. Among the first wines produced from Burgaud's vineyard is the 2020 Aurélien Burgaud Beaujolais-Villages Grignette, with the Villages classification applied to Beaujolais grown in the northern part of the region. Using 45-year-old grape vines sourced from the Quincié-en-Beaujolais part of the region, Burgaud blends traditional winemaking methods and techniques with consideration for modern palates.
The Aurélien Burgaud Beaujolais-Villages Grignette has a fresh and fruity flavor profile, with notes of strawberry detectable right from its nose. Burgaud himself recommends drinking the Beaujolais-Villages Grignette chilled at approximately 53-57 degrees Fahrenheit and paired with a nice boozy brunch, not unlike how you'd drink a mimosa or Bellini. The 2020 Aurélien Burgaud Beaujolais-Villages Grignette currently retails for $26 per 750ml bottle and stands as one of the most accessible and vibrantly flavorful Beaujolais wines currently on the market.
4. Château Thivin Zaccharie Côte de Brouilly
The Geoffray family is one of the oldest French families still producing stellar Beaujolais, with the family having purchased Château Thivin and using it to produce wine since 1877. The vineyard takes special pride in how it utilizes its different types of soil to bring out the best in its natural grape-growing techniques. The 2020 Château Thivin Zaccharie Côte de Brouilly showcases the Geoffray winemaking tradition and stands as one of the most affordable wines offered by the vineyard.
The Château Thivin Zaccharie Côte de Brouilly comes from 50-year-old grape vines, with the wine aged for 11 months in barrels for its maturation process. With a flavor profile containing notes of blackcurrant and blackberry, the wine pairs well with heartier fare, including beef dishes — something of a rarity among Beaujolais. The 2020 Château Thivin Zaccharie Côte de Brouilly has an average retail price of $53 for a 750ml bottle making it one of the more expensive wines on this list, but well worth every penny.
5. Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages
Georges Duboeuf is something of an institution in the worldwide Beaujolais market, with its late namesake founding the vineyard in 1964. Specializing in Beaujolais Nouveau and Villages, with the latter among the company's most accessible wines for a balanced and discerning palate, Duboeuf maintains a prominent international presence. Light and smooth, the 2018 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages is an excellent gateway for the uninitiated into the wide world of Beaujolais wines.
With a fruity nose, the Beaujolais-Villages has raspberry, redcurrant, and blackcurrant flavor notes with a silky mouthfeel and delicate finish. Georges Duboeuf recommends serving its Beaujolais-Villages as an aperitif or paired with cheese boards and light pasta dishes to complement its natural flavor. The 2018 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages currently retails for $14 per 750ml bottle on average, making it an especially affordable Beaujolais of quietly impressive quality that underscores why Duboeuf is such a global powerhouse in the wine industry.
6. Laura Lardy Beaujolais-Villages Gourde a Gamay
Laura Lardy comes from a long line of celebrated and influential vintners in France, renowned for their contributions to the Beaujolais wine traditions. She started running her own vineyard in 2017 and leans into the complexity of local soil types and older grape vines to produce wine, including her own line of Beaujolais-Villages. Lardy's 2021 Beaujolais-Villages Gourde a Gamay is a celebration of the gamay grape, bottled with minimal sulfur to accentuate the wine's fruity flavor notes.
The 2021 Laura Lardy Beaujolais-Villages Gourde a Gamay has a noticeably tangy flavor profile, with detectable hints of rhubarb and raspberry, without coming off as overly tart in its finish. A markedly accessible and easy drink, with a bright profile that lasts from nose to finish, the Beaujolais-Villages Gourde a Gamay pairs well with poultry and cream-based sauces. The 2021 Laura Lardy Beaujolais-Villages Gourde a Gamay carries an average price of $22 per 750ml bottle, with Lardy impressively carving out her own place in the Beaujolais scene, combining familial tradition with modern sensibility.
7. Domaines Dominique Piron Côte du Py Morgon
Dominique Piron comes from a long line of vintners in the Morgon region of France, with the family specializing in Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent wines within the Beaujolais Cru line. Like many Côte de Brouilly wines, Piron's Côte du Py utilizes volcanic soil to grow grapes, resulting in a noticeably less earthy wine. The 2020 Domaines Dominique Piron Côte du Py is a robust Morgon, offering a light red wine with a surprising amount of complexity and depth to its profile.
The Côte du Py has strong notes of black cherry and dense tannins to make for a particularly full-bodied Beaujolais Cru with a spicy finish. A well-rounded red wine, the Côte du Py stands well enough on its own and can be served either at or chilled just below room temperature to better appreciate its complexity. The 2020 Domaines Dominique Piron Côte du Py Morgon has an average retail price of $28 and is a solid Beaujolais Cru that doesn't get lost in its own sense of tradition.
8. Mommessin Côte de Brouilly Les Grandes Mises
Mommessin boasts a winemaking history stretching back to 1865, having begun in Burgundy and eventually relocated to Beaujolais, carrying many of its Burgundian traditions with it. A Beaujolais Cru that has been a popular fixture in Mommessin's line since this relocation is the Côte de Brouilly Les Grandes Mises, produced from grape vines that are nearly 60 years old. Grown from volcanic soil with a distinctly hard schist, the Côte de Brouilly possesses a noticeably earthier and richer quality than the standard Brouilly appellation.
The Côte de Brouilly Les Grandes Mises has flavor notes of cherry and redcurrant, with its volcanic soil origins and depth giving it a subtle but noticeable smokey quality in its finish. Mommessin recommends serving the wine chilled at 59-65 degrees Fahrenheit, paired with goat cheese or poultry-based dishes to bring out its natural complexity. The 2019 Mommessin Côte de Brouilly Les Grandes Mises is priced at $21 on average, ready to introduce the beauty of Côte de Brouilly to a wider base.
9. Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu Beaujolais-Villages
Vintner Jean-Claude Lapalu has been bottling his own wine since 1995 and, like many winemakers in the Beaujolais region, he comes from a line of distinguished vintners in his family. Using the same grape wines as his father and grandfather before him, Lapalu produces a style of wine that leans more into natural fruit flavor than one that relies on sulfur in its production. This philosophy is seen in his vineyard's 2021 Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu Beaujolais-Villages, which possesses a fuller body than many of its Beaujolais contemporaries.
With a flavor profile that features robust notes of cherry and thyme, the Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu Beaujolais-Villages has the tartness of a strong tannin profile in the gamay grape. With its full body, the wine pairs well with poultry dishes, cream-based sauces, and hummus or tahini over light appetizers. A rounded and earthy Beaujolais, the 2021 Domaine Jean-Claude Lapalu Beaujolais-Villages currently averages with a retail price of $25 for a 750ml bottle.
10. Domaine de Colette Régnié Sélection Vieilles Vignes
Developed using grapes from 70-year-old grape vines, the 2020 Domaine de Colette Régnié Sélection Vieilles Vignes certainly lives up to its moniker while specializing in Régnié. A special type of Beaujolais Cru, Régnié reputedly was introduced to France by the Romans and possesses a fuller body with berry flavor notes. After aging for eight months, the 2020 Domaine de Colette Régnié Sélection Vieilles Vignes reaches its peak three years after bottling.
With notes of redcurrant and raspberry in its flavor profile, the Régnié is a vibrantly fresh and fruity wine despite the impressive age of the grape vines from which it is primarily sourced. The wine is recommended to be served chilled to approximately 56 degrees Fahrenheit and pairs well with poultry-based cuisine to match its relative acidity. The 2020 Domaine de Colette Régnié Sélection Vieilles Vignes carries an average retail price of $19 per 750ml bottle, and stands as a surprisingly bright Beaujolais Cru.
11. Henry Fessy Morgon
Despite its slick designer presentation, Henry Fessy's line of Beaujolais possesses an extensive history and quality that may come as a surprise at first glance. The vineyard's 2020 Morgon appellation stands among the richest and deepest in sheer complexity of the Beaujolais Cru, produced from 50-year-old grape vines that highlight the darker possibilities of gamay grapes. To accentuate the wine's subtle nuances, the vineyard recommends serving the Morgon chilled at approximately 56 degrees Fahrenheit to fully appreciate the Beaujolais.
The Henry Fessy Morgon has notes of blackcurrant, cherry, and apricot in its flavor profile, with a particularly silky mouthfeel provided by its tannins. The wine pairs well with rich cheese, cuisine featuring wine-based sauces, and roasts to better complement its natural flavors and balance its richness. The 2020 Henry Fessy Morgon carries an average retail price of $17, and is the perfect blend of presentation and quality for an especially Burgundian Beaujolais.
12. Jean Foillard Beaujolais-Villages
One of the most distinguished figures in the French Beaujolais scene is Jean Foillard, who has been bottling his wine since taking over his family's vineyard in 1980 and has developed an impressive, enduring reputation. Foillard specializes in different aged appellations of Beaujolais Cru, including Morgon and Fleurie, with the 2020 Jean Foillard Beaujolais-Villages being among his best wines. Considerably more affordable than Foillard's elite line of Morgon cuvée, the Beaujolais-Villages maintains the seal of quality the venerable vintner is known for.
Possessing a solid level of complexity and depth in flavor, the Jean Foillard Beaujolais-Villages has a velvety mouthfeel and a flowery flavor profile. Balanced by its subtle lavender and rose notes, the wine pairs well with more savory cuisine, but is accessible enough to drink on its own. Priced at a fraction of Foillard's more elegant wines, the 2020 Jean Foillard Beaujolais-Villages currently carries an average retail price of $29 per bottle and serves as an excellent gateway into Foillard's extensive line.
13. Domaine du Clos du Fief Juliénas Tête de Cuvée
Domaine du Clos du Fief produces a number of different appellations of Beaujolais Villages and cru, but the Juliénas cru is the standout from the vineyard and among the most affordable. The Juliénas appellation claims to have been the first grapes planted in the region by the Romans, contesting the legacy of the Régnié, with the Juliénas appellation moniker as a nod to Julius Caesar. Run by Michel Tête, from the fourth generation of winemakers in his family, Domaine du Clos du Fief prefers limited tilling of the vineyard's soil, allowing grass coverage around the grape vines.
The 2020 Juliénas Tête de Cuvée is produced from 50-year-old grape vines and carries a richness in flavor and depth characteristic of Juliénas cru. There are clear notes of blueberry in the flavor profile, while its nose carries hints of peony and spice that give it a robust aroma. The 2020 Domaine du Clos du Fief Juliénas Tête de Cuvée currently retails for $21 for a 750ml bottle, priced to give the curious a taste of a solid Juliénas cru.
14. Domaine de la Merize Moulin-a-Vent Beaujolais
Vintner Patrick Bertrand eschews modern winemaking techniques as he leans into tradition for his vineyard Domaine de la Merize and its line of Beaujolais Villages and cru. Among the most impressive wines from Bertrand's estate is the 2019 Moulin-a-Vent, an aged wine that possesses the fullest body of modern Beaujolais. Similar to its fellow Beaujolais Cru counterpart, the Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent are aged for at least six years and carry a long shelf life.
As opposed to many Moulin-à-Vent, Bertrand does not rely on oak barrels to age his wine, while the wine itself is produced from 60-year-old grape vines. The venerable vines and lengthy aging process make for a darker Beaujolais that leans more acidic and dry than other readily available Moulin-a-Vent. The 2019 Domaine de la Merize Moulin-à-Vent Beaujolais retails at $42, offering a robust and enduring Moulin-à-Vent that embraces tradition in finding its flavor.
15. Jean-Paul Dubost Beaujolais-Lantignié
Jean-Paul Dubost is the fourth generation of his family to produce Beaujolais wine, running his family vineyard since the mid '90s with an emphasis on wines of the villages appellation. Relying on natural yeast for fermentation, Dubost eschews the use of sulfur for a largely minimalist approach to wine production. The 2020 Jean-Paul Dubost Beaujolais-Lantignié is a Beaujolais-Villages that is just as savory and full-bodied as Dubost's impressive line of Beaujolais Cru, and for a considerably more affordable price.
With robust blackberry flavor notes, along with hints of plum and apricot, Dubost's Beaujolais-Lantignié provides rich drinking experience with a velvety mouthfeel. Recommended to be aired in a decanter before serving, the savory wine pairs well with vinaigrette dressings and garlic-based dishes to accentuate its flavor profile. The 2020 Jean-Paul Dubost Beaujolais-Lantignié has an average retail price of $21 per 750ml bottle, and stands among Dubost's most effective and delicious wines.