From Château des Thorins: Visit to Château du Moulin-à-Vent
Explore the history and daily life of Château du Moulin-à-Vent and learn about the Moulin-à-Vent AOC and winemaking. Taste four wines, including two single-vineyard cu...
Profile
Structure
Drinking window
Best 1 to 3 years from vintage.
vintage1 yrs3 yrs8 yrs
Critic scores
No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating above is our own.
In the glass
What it pairs with
- Tartines au fromage de chèvre Fresh, light Gamay with goat's cheese on toast is a Beaujolais bistro classic.More wines for goat cheese →
- Salade de tomates variées Bright acidity and red-fruit profile echo the tomato's freshness.More wines for vegetables and salads →
- Rillons de Tours Rendered pork belly richness is cut cleanly by P'tit Caillou's acidity.
With cheese
Fromage fort de la Croix-Rousse
Local tradition French Wikipedia quotes the Inventaire du patrimoine culinaire de la France: in Lyon's bouchons the pot sat at the corner of the bar and was spread on toasted bread, accompanied by a beaujolais. A plain Gamay red suits its sharpness.
Cervelle de canut
Our pick The Observatoire des produits du terroir lists Beaujolais AOC and Coteaux-du-Lyonnais among the reds for it. The cool, herby fromage blanc wants a fresh, fruity Gamay with modest tannin that does not fight the vinegar.
How to serve Beaujolais P'tit Caillou
Allow 65 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 60 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
- Serve at 14-16°C. Cellar temperature (14-16°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
- Glassware. Use a Burgundy bowl with a wide opening: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
- Pair with. Tartines au fromage de chèvre, Salade de tomates variées, Rillons de Tours. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.
History
P'tit Caillou is Karim Vionnet's everyday Beaujolais AOC, produced without wood and released young for fresh, fruit-led drinking.
- 2012P'tit Caillou first released as Vionnet's entry-level Beaujolais AOC
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine Karim Vionnet · visiting guide
- Grapes
- Gamay
- Classification
- Beaujolais AOC
- Oak
- Stainless steel; no wood
- ABV
- 12.0%
- Price
- €10-14 at retail
- Drinking window
- 1-3 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2012
- Organic
- ORGANIC CERTIFIED
Frequently asked about Beaujolais P'tit Caillou
What does Beaujolais P'tit Caillou taste like?
Structurally light-bodied, low tannins, high acidity with a short finish. P'tit Caillou ('little stone') is Vionnet's entry-level Beaujolais AOC: unpretentious, fresh Gamay with crunchy red fruit and mineral granite lift for immediate drinking.
When should I drink Beaujolais P'tit Caillou?
Drink 1-3 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.
What food pairs with Beaujolais P'tit Caillou?
Tartines au fromage de chèvre is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Salade de tomates variées and Rillons de Tours. Fresh, light Gamay with goat's cheese on toast is a Beaujolais bistro classic.
What grapes are in Beaujolais P'tit Caillou?
The blend is Gamay. The wine is classified as Beaujolais AOC.
Tags
Taste it where it is made: tastings near Domaine Karim Vionnet
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