It’s Beaujolais Nouveau Day this coming Thursday, and it looks as if the region’s run of decent vintages has continued, so don’t be afraid to dig on the 17th. But if you fancy trying wines from earlier vintages, here are six that I’ve tried recently, and I’ll be posting two more videos with further Beaujolais suggestions in the next few days…

Château du Chatelard Beaujolais Blanc Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2009 (from £10.50 Halifax Wine Company, Wine Array, Robert Anthony Wines)
Starts well with friendly apple crumble and quince flavours and a touch of toastiness, but I wish they’d not down quite so much malolactic fermentation – it finishes just a touch too rich and creamy for real class. B(-)

Jean Paul Brun Beaujolais Blanc Terres Dorées 2009 (from £11.95 Savage Selection, Bordeaux Index)
Good mix of richness and restraint, with some quite fleshy cooked apple and pineapple chunk fruit reined in by taut acidity and subtle smoky oak. B+

Domaine de Buis-Rond Beaujolais 2010 (£8.99 Vintage Roots)
Simple, gentle, peppery style, some decent crunchy redcurrant and raspberry, but lacks a little matière. B-

Château Cambon Beaujolais 2010 (£11.99 Caves de Pyrene)
Lots of crunchy, bouncy plum and raspberry fruit with a twist of pepper, joyful and exuberant, but with freshness too. S-

Domaine Lagneau Beaujolais-Villages 2009 (£8.95 Stone Vine & Sun)
Rich and ripe, but with the raspberry now just heading in a slightly jammy direction – would have been better six months ago, now losing its freshness. B-

Damien Coquelet Chiroubles 2009 (£13.99 Caves de Pyrene)
Decent concentration with mature raspberry and cooked cherry flesh, but again I’d say that this had lost its bounce and would have been better in spring. B