Beaujolais is inextricably linked with the red Gamay grape, so it may be surprising to learn that the region is also home to Chardonnay. This white grape accounts for a mere 4% of the vineyard area, but there have been recent increases in planting.
Traditionally, most Chardonnay grown in Beaujolais has gone into Crémant de Bourgogne or white Bourgogne wines. Reasonable choices, given that a wine labelled as Burgundy can fetch higher prices.
However, between 2016 and 2022 the Beaujolais wine council reported a 77% increase in the number of hectares of Chardonnay harvested, and a 24% increase in the volume of Chardonnay destined for white Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages.
Of the nearly 3,000 estates in Beaujolais, around 600 produce a white wine, amounting to 2.75 million bottles per year.
