Fleurie
Fleurie is a well known Cru Beaujolais wine appellation for red wines from the Gamay grape variety.
The wines are some of the most highly regarded in the region, which is sometimes referred to as “The Queen of Beaujolais”.
A Fleurie is typically light, silky and supple, with characteristic florality and bright aromas of blueberries and red fruit. Fleurie’s widespread recognition is often attributed to its evocative name. However the region is actually named after a Roman general, Floricum, rather than for any floral traits in the wine.
Fleurie is in the center of the ten Beaujolais crus. It lies just south of Moulin-à-Vent and Chénas and to the north of Morgon. Chiroubles lies just to the west.
The area’s vineyards sit on the western side of the Beaujolais hills, on south and southeast facing slopes overlooking the Saone River valley. The vines benefit from exposure to warm morning sunshine during the growing season.
Fleurie vineyards are generally planted on pink granite soil. But variations in textures and additional soil components gives rise to different styles of wine.
On the higher slopes within the appellation, the soils are made up of coarse, dry sand. This absorbs and reflects heat, aiding the ripening process. Wines produced from these vineyards are known for their delicate aromas. Perhaps the best known example is La Madone, which overlooks village of Fleurie. The much photographed chapel from which it takes its name sits at the top of the plot.
Vineyards lower down the slopes tend to have a higher proportion of water-retaining clay. This gives wines from these sites a slightly denser, more-structured style of wine.
Fleurie’s vineyards enjoy a temperate continental climate, and are shielded from cold northwesterly weather systems by the hills to the west of the Beaujolais region. Instead, the region’s high sunshine hours are cooled by gentle influences from the Mediterranean Sea in the south. This ensures that ripening is slow and steady, leading to a balance of acidity and flavor in the grapes.
Vines were planted here in the early Middle Ages by Benedictine monks, and vineyards were expanded in the 15th Century by the Lyonnais bourgeoisie. Fleurie wines were widely distributed in France and England in the 19th Century, and the commune was granted its AOC in the 1930s, along with seven other areas in northern Beaujolais.
Around 180 growers are active today in the Fleurie appellation. Many of them contribute to Beaujolais’ oldest wine co-operative, La Cave des Producteurs des Grands Vins de Fleurie, which was established in 1927.