Brouilly

The wine

The largest of the ten Beaujolais crus, Brouilly stretches south around Mont Brouilly, an old volcano now covered with vines. Pink granite and schist soils produce fruity, round, accessible gamays with red fruit aromas (strawberry, redcurrant, cherry), violet and sometimes pepper. These wines generally drink within three to five years to enjoy their brilliance, though selected cuvées can evolve longer. Côte de Brouilly, a separate appellation on the volcano's slope, makes more concentrated, structured wines with a mineral character from blue schist. Pair with charcuterie, grilled meats, brasserie fare, Saint-Marcellin and savoury tarts.