Château des Pertonnières La Prébende Beaujolais Blanc 2019

Historically the third Thursday of November is ‘Beaujolais Nouveau Day', the day when the new wines—made from the Gamay grape in the Beaujolais region of France—are released into the market. ‘Beaujolais Nouveau Day’ is now so popular, the name ‘Beaujolais’ has become synonymous with red Gamay wines. What many people don’t know is that the region produces a small amount of white wine (less than 2%), which is made from Chardonnay and called ‘Beaujolais Blanc’.

The Dupeuble family has been making wine at Château des Pertonnières since 1512. The current generation continues the family tradition of crafting high-quality Beaujolais wines. They grow Gamay grapes in two thirds of their vineyards where the soils are granite. But, where the soils turn to clay-limestone, they have the good fortune of being able to grow Chardonnay for their ‘La Prébende Beaujolais Blanc.’ The wine is called ‘La Prébende,’ which means ‘the tax,’ because the vineyards are located where monks once collected taxes from the villagers.

In the bottle you will discover a charming wine that is round and fresh on the palate. Flavours of peach, honey, preserved lemon, and a hint of banana abound. It is the perfect style of Chardonnay to pair with a chilly November day. So, as you prepare for Beaujolais Day on Thursday, this year consider trying a rare bottle of Beaujolais Blanc. You can find one at Osteria Rialto at 1006a Bloor Street, Toronto - $31.