Whites from the region, which make up only 1% of its production, are made mostly with Chardonnay grapes though Aligoté is also permitted until 2024 (on condition the vines were planted before 2004).

The region is known internationally for its long tradition of winemaking, for the use of carbonic maceration, and more recently for the popular Beaujolais nouveau.

In response, there has been renewed emphasis on the production of more complex wines that are aged longer in oak barrels prior to release.

In July 1395, the Duke of Burgundy, Philippe the Bold, outlawed the cultivation of Gamay as being "a very bad and disloyal plant", due in part to the variety occupying land that could be used for the more "elegant" pinot noir.

Sixty years later, Philippe the Good issued another edict against Gamay, in which he stated that the reason for the ban was because "[t]he Dukes of Burgundy are known as the lords of the best wines in Christendom.

[2] The edicts had the effect of pushing Gamay plantings southward, out of the main region of Burgundy and into the granite-based soils of Beaujolais, where the grape thrived.

In an interview given to local newspaper Lyon Mag, French wine critic François Mauss claimed that the reason for the backlash was the poor quality of Beaujolais Nouveau that had flooded the market in recent decades.

In January 2003, the court in Villefranche-sur-Saône found in favor of the Beaujolais producers and awarded USD$350,000, which would have put the small employee-owned publication out of business.

[3] In 2005, the Vins Georges Duboeuf company was charged with mixing low-grade wine with better vintages after a patchy 2004 harvest.

[5] Georges Duboeuf denied wrongdoing, blaming human error and pointing out that none of the affected wine was released to consumers.

By the time that the Beaujolais Nouveau is released in late November, the foothills in the western regions will have normally seen snow.

The southern half of the region, also known as the Bas Beaujolais, has flatter terrain with richer, sandstone and clay based soils with some limestone patches.

[9] The last four crus produce the fullest bodied examples of Cru Beaujolais that need the most time ageing in the bottle and are usually meant to be consumed between four and 10 years after harvest.

In 1985 the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO) established the third Thursday of November to allow for a uniform release date for the wine.

[11] Today, about a third of the region's production is sold as Beaujolais nouveau, a marketing name created by Georges Duboeuf for the local vin de l'année.

This is because the Beaujolais wine-making style of carbonic maceration utilizes whole bunches of grape clusters that normally get broken and separated by a mechanical harvester.

Aligote vines that were planted prior to 2004 are permitted in wine production, but the entire grape variety is being phased out of the region by 2024.

[1] The characteristics that the Gamay grapes adds to Beaujolais are a deep bluish-red color, high acidity, moderate tannins, and light to medium body.

In recent years the rootstock Vialla has gained popularity due to its propensity to produce well in granite soils.

Carbon dioxide is released as a byproduct of this fermentation and begins to saturate the individual intact grape berries that remain in the barrel.

The process of chaptalization, adding sugar to the grape must to boost alcohol levels, has been a controversial issue for Beaujolais winemakers.

Some producers who make Beaujolais on a large commercial scale will filter the wine aggressively to avoid any impurity or future chemical reactions.

This can have the negative side effect of diminishing some of the wine's unique fruit character and leave a flavor that critics have described as Jell-O-like.

[11] Basic Beaujolais is the classic bistro wine of Paris; a fruity, easy-drinking red traditionally served in 1 pint glass bottles known as pots.

This is epitomized in Beaujolais nouveau, which is fermented for just a few days and can be dominated by estery flavors such as bananas and pear drops.

Premium examples from Chénas, Juliénas, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent can spend up to 10 years continuing to develop in the bottle and in very good vintages can take on Burgundian qualities of structure and complexity.

Many of these négociants, such as Maison Louis Jadot (which owns Moulin-à-Vent-based Château des Jacques) and Bouchard Père et Fils, are based in Burgundy.

[11] Similarly, Beaujolais is often treated like a white wine and served slightly chilled to a lower temperature, the lighter the style.

[9] In Beaujolais, it is traditional to soak the bottles in buckets of ice water and bring them out to the village's center for picnics and games of boules.