The Quiet Among the Loud – Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages

Ironically, a compelling Beaujolais-Villages is more difficult to find than a compelling Beaujolais Cru.  For reasons I do not know, finding a tasty Beaujolais-Villages is like trying to find a French word that does not contain a vowel.

Well for one thing, one can write-off finding a Beaujolais-Villages in the Villié-Morgon because there is no classified Beaujolais-Villages in that village of Cru. A story goes that the Villié-Morgon mayor had holdings of Beaujolais-Villages like vineyards when the appellation limits were drawn.  Mysteriously, all ‘Beaujolais-Villages’ like vineyards were incorporated into the Cru of Morgon.  

Perhaps, a great Beaujolais-Villages is a rare find because so much of it is cornered by negoce with depressed prices and poor quality that only a few quality-minded vignerons are willing to grow vines within that classification. When was the last time you tasted a Beaujolais-Villages from a vigneron who gives a shit?

As much as I love a fine Cru, I often like a wine that is delicious without requiring too much of my attention - satisfaction over complexity.  One such wine for me is ChristophePacalet Beaujolais-Villages.

Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages is from the vines on the lieu-dit ‘Monmont’ on the foothill between the great Crus of Régnié and Brouilly.  Here one can see there is a classified Beaujolais-Villages within the great Crus.

It appears all great vineyards, including Beaujolais-Villages, are named. The ‘Monmont’ vines are over 100 years old, giving elegance so rare in the Beaujolais-Villages. When I tasted the Beaujolais –Villages with Christophe Pacalet at his chai, I had to ask.  It is only when I asked, Christophe Pacalet revealed the details about the vines and vineyard of his Beaujolais-Villages. His Beaujolais-Villages, like the vigneron himself, is the quiet among the attention-grabbing Crus.

Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages has the prettiest colour – ruby luminescence. Pure and balanced. The wine barely hits 12% just about every year. The wine goes with just about any dish: pizza, hamburger, terrine, steak & frites, roasted chicken or grilled salmon. The wine even tastes better slightly chilled. The wine is cloudy from being unfiltered. Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais-Villages, for me, represents all that is great about Beaujolais.