Wines and vineyards of Paris

The Saint-Juliénas des Près 2/2

Among the sponsors of 2007 of the St Juliénas des Près close includes notoriously John Simenon. He happens to be the son of Georges Simenon, famous French author, who wrote the detective series with the commissioner Maigret, who is particularly well known in wine bars and bistros. We can also name, the French chef Yves Cambeborde.

Obviously, you can’t deny that the brotherhood of St Juliénas was also created for economic reasons: to make known and amplify the reputation of Juliénas hit like other Beaujolais crus by the gloom of the internal market added to the aggressive foreign competition.

In this little square at the foot of the roman church of St Germain des Près there is a childlike joyfulness, and during the following dinner at Procope, attained by the men and women of Juliénas who come up to Paris each year to organize this ceremony.

Juliénas is one of the ten Beaujolais crus. Its fruity and lively wine comes from a black gamay with white juice, still hand picked. It is well bodied allowing it to be kept from 5 to 8 years.