Review: Two Wines from Beaujolais – 2022 Manoir de Carra and 2019 Chateau Bonnet

Beaujolais remains an undersung and underconsumed wine region, particularly in the States, but that’s changing — ever so slowly — as better and better expressions make it to the U.S. market. Today we’re checking out a pair of recently released Beaujolais wines, both 100% gamay, and both extremely affordable, high-quality offerings.

2022 Manoir de Carra Beaujolais-Villages Non-Filtre – Earthy with a licorice kick to it, evocative of a lighter style of Burgundy. Gentle on the palate with light notes of pickled plums, some mulling spices, and a light layer of greenery, this “unfiltered” wine has far more depth and character than your rack Beaujolais, culminating in notes of bittersweet chocolate, unripe plum, and candied ginger. I love it with food. A- / $19

2019 Chateau Bonnet Saint-Amour – Most Beaujolais you’ll find these days is Beaujolais-Villages (or Nouveau), but there are ten cru Beaujolais regions, with Saint-Amour the most northerly. This is a seductive and well-formed wine, this offering balances red fruit with more savory elements, including tea leaf, nutmeg, and a very light yet present and complementary balsamic note. Notes of toasty Biscoff cookies and violets add a delightful and unexpected amount of life to the wine late in the game. Tough to put down, and an excellent bargain at this price. A / $22

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