Fifth edition of ‘BBB’ a success

The fifth edition of ‘Bien Boire en Beaujolais’ (BBB) saw 1,500 visitors descend on the region for the annual tasting.

Held at Château de Pizay in Morgon, the tasting gathered together 175 of Beaujolais’ foremost independent producers who are split between five associations.

This year’s tasting saw a new association ‘Les Gamays Chics’ join the more established ranks of ‘Biojolaise’, ‘Beaujol’Art’, ‘Beaujoloise’ and ‘Beaujol’All’Wines’ – associations that count producers such as Lapierre, Foillard, Labruyère, Grange Cochard, Jean-Paul Brun, Chermette, Château Thivin, Thevenet, Grands Pré, Séléné, Xavier Benet and many more among their members.

Non-Beaujolais producers are also invited and this year they included: Domaine aux Moine from Savennières, Olivier Pithon from the Languedoc, Sylvain Pataille from Marsannay, Denogent and Bret Brothers/La Soufrandière from the Mâconnais, Pierre Luneau-Papin from Muscadet, Marcel Richaud from Cairanne and Eric Pfifferling from Tavel.

The tasting is a chance for producers to show the latest releases. This year the focus was principally on the “classic” 2014s although there was also a smattering of 2015 wines as well.

A very atypical vintage for Beaujolais with higher than normal alcohol levels and a lot of concentration, many producers are nonetheless happy with the results.