Oh, what to say about Beaujolais! We hear about it every November when we celebrate the release of Nouveau, but there's so much more to be found. In exploring the Beaujolais wine region, if we were to travel a bit south of that famous windmill in Moulin-à-Vent, home to some extraordinarily concentrated wines, we may stumble across a little jewel known as Fleurie. Of the ten Beaujolais Crus, only Fleurie is called "Queen of Beaujolais". I was under the impression that the name came from the soft and delicate nature of the wine (as it translates to "floral"). Nope! It appears to have come from a Roman legionary called Florus, who was said to have settled down in one of the hills overlooking the vines. This wine is definitively fresh, fruity, and light, with beautiful red fruit notes and floral aromas. Some of these are attributes of the Gamay grape, and others result from the whole cluster of carbonic maceration the wine underwent as part of its journey into the bottle. I recently recommended this as an exciting alternative to Pinot Noir to accompany a spicy dish. Still, it would be lovely chilled on its own (which I enjoyed) or at room temperature, enjoying our final days before the seasons take a turn cooler. - Keri Brown, Wine Staff #CHILLABLERED #WINESFORHOLIDAYTIME #HOLIDAYGIFTGUIDE2024