If the only Beaujolais you’ve ever encountered is Beaujolais Nouveau and you’ve never tasted a Beaujolais cru, then this is the wine to make you fall head over heels for the region.

Unfined and unfiltered, Domaine Chignard’s Fleurie “Les Moriers” from the great 2009 vintage carries the scent of wild sweet strawberries. It’s so lush and vivid, tasting of blueberries, black cherries and plums. The vines average 60 years old, so this is some deep fruit underpinned with soft tannins.

If you don’t like this Beaujolais, you don’t like Beaujolais period. Pair it with a great burger or steak, grilled sausages or a chicken tagine.

● Region: Beaujolais

● Price: From $20 to $25

● Style: Intensely fruity

● What it goes with: Burgers, steak, sausages, tagines

By S. Irene Virbila 

(Los Angeles Times)

(McClatchy-Tribune Information Services)