Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais 75cl

Georges Duboeuf is one of the largest and most familiar negociant and winemaking businesses in France. Its founder, the late Georges Duboeuf himself, grew up in the Maconnais region of Burgundy although the brand is strongly associated with Beaujolais to the south. Duboeuf the man is credited with single-handedly making Beaujolais a globally recognised wine region though the promotion of Beaujolais Nouveau in the 1980s and 90s.

Duboeuf the business (properly known as Les Vins Georges Duboeuf) produces nearly three million cases of wine annually (just under 30 million bottles), one fifth of which is dedicated solely to the young, easy-drinking Beaujolais Nouveau. The wine is released in November following that year’s harvest – between two and three months after the grapes have been harvested.

For both Nouveau and more standard Beaujolais, Duboeuf sources grapes from all over the region, including from some of the cru villages: Brouilly, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent and Saint-Amour, to name a few. Gamay is the dominant grape here, as well as Chardonnay for the white wines.

The estate works with around 300 winegrowers in the Beaujolais region alone to ensure the quality of the fruit. Production is overseen by son Franck Duboeuf, who is considered to be one of the key specialists in Beaujolais, its terroir and its wine.

There are broadly two segments of the wines made in the company: the estate wines produced under the Duboeuf name; and the wines produced from domaines under their own labels (albeit within the company portfolio). The company has vineyard holdings and wines across Beaujolais, the Maconnais, and under the generic Bourgogne and Vin de Pays – IGP titles.

The winery there produces a wealth of other varieties, from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Grenache, Syrah, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. It even makes the very New World-sounding Patchblock brand from Pays d’Oc fruit.

Scandal surrounded the Duboeuf winery in the Beaujolais in the early 2000s after it was found that wines of different grades had been cross-blended and bottled under misleading labels. The company was found guilty and fined. Duboeuf maintained that none of the affected wines were released commercially and that the blend was in error.

Georges Duboeuf himself died in 2020.