2022 Arnaud Aucoeur “Vieilles Vignes” Blanc Beaujolais Villages (£15.75, Yapp Brothers)

That most rare of beasts, a white Beaujolais! From 100% Chardonnay, this wine was very approachable with an aromatic nose and no oak, quite strong mineral backbone, geographically close to Macon which it resembles.

2021 Maison Dominic Piron Beaujolais Villages (£13.99, Waitrose)

A lovely fruity nose, good colour and so very drinkable, no “Nouveau” here! Made very close to the Morgon area, splendid value.

2021 Domaine de Vernus Chiroubles (£21.50, Berry Brothers and Rudd)

Unusually shy on the nose although developed in glass, and fairly dark for a Gamay, this spent 10 months in oak and with high-ish acidity but low tannins, not a typical representative of the AOC. Hand-picked and not made with carbonic maceration, again unusual.

2021 Fleurie AOC Roche Guillon, Domaine de Fa (£25.95, Yapp Bothers)

With a definite flowery nose typical of Fleurie, this wine was made with carbonic maceration to retain freshness and presented unfiltered after 14 months in oak. The soil here is very granite-rich. Quite scarce, only 200 cases produced, very much liked on the night.

2021 Domaine Pardon et Fils “Les Mouilles” Julienas AOC ( £12.99/£14.99 Majestic)

A modest but rich nose and dark for a Gamay, again produced by carbonic maceration, a wine with real structure, black cherries and juicy black fruit on the palate – easy drinking and a very good BBQ wine. Julienas named after one Julius Caesar!

2020 Regnie AOC, Domaine de la Plaigne (Wine Society £11.50)

We don’t get to see many Regnies in the UK, this lovely example had a slightly rustic nose which carried over to the palate, quite rich with excellent mouthfeel and noticeabl but not aggressive tannins. From 80 year-old vines. Superb value.

2021 Morgon AOC, “Eponym”, Jean Foillard (£26.50, Vinatis)

Maybe a touch unbalanced, this wine is all oak and strawberries, serious stuff made by the typical carbonic maceration process. I found the oak a bit overpowering and there was really no “middle” palate with this wine – a bit of a puzzle.

2019 Moulin-a-Vent AOC, Champ de Cour, Thibault Liger-Belair (£36.50, Berry Brothers and Rudd).

A very scarce wine with only three barrels being produced for this vintage, this really was the Real McCoy! Great fruity nose and sweet mid-palate, having spent 18 months on new and old oak, one for ageing but lovely right now. A good representative of this most serious of the Beaujolais Crus. They plough the vineyard with horses!