(Wine-Searcher) - Think Beaujolais is just about banana-flavored Nouveau? Wink Lorch invites you to think again.

It's that time in November when thoughts turn to Beaujolais. But, before you move on swiftly, stop a while and join us on a discovery cruise of the best the region has to offer.

You're surely not on about Nouveau again are you?

Certainly not. Beaujolais Nouveau might be all the rage in Japan, but its appeal has distinctly paled in most countries. This story is about the mighty cru Beaujolais of Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas and Morgon; the sturdy Juliénas, the sensual Fleurie, Saint-Amour or Chiroubles; the excellent value Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly and not forgetting Régnié. Yes, that's 10 designated vineyard areas – or crus – that sit right at the top of the Beaujolais appellation family tree and at the top of the map too – these areas lie in the north of the Beaujolais, abutting the Mâconnais or southern Burgundy.

Are the crus simply a better class of fruit bomb?

With my last breath I swear that's not the case, as I sip on the deep and divine 2014 Dernier Souffle Moulin-à-Vent of Richard Rottiers. He named this cuvée Dernier Souffle (last breath) because it comes from a very old Gamay vineyard next to the cemetery. After classic dark red cherry notes on the nose, the palate offers mouthfilling layers of intensity, with a light tannic structure indicating that, if you can resist opening it, this baby will grow up into a truly lovely young thing in two or three years' time. It is simply the essence of finely made Gamay, and it's farmed organically too.

So, these reds are a genuinely big deal, then?

New York sommelier, Chris Struck thinks so: "Cru Beaujolais is awesome and, with Loire Valley and Corsica, producing some of the more interesting red wines coming out of France that are still affordable. My favorite producers include Foillard, Lapierre, Pignard, Thivin, Desvignes. Once we delve past simple carbonic maceration and tutti frutti notes, we can find some really beautiful crus Beaujolais." Clark Z. Terry of Kermit Lynch, long-time importers of several of Struck's favorites, adds: "The crus definitely have an identity of their own and many discerning consumers have preferences between the crus. That identity is intrinsically connected to Beaujolais."

I sense some caveats. What's going on here?

Two issues: first is that the crus are not entirely sure of their identity or about their relationship with Burgundy. Second, they are made by several different techniques, including carbonic maceration (the traditional way), thermovinification (a quick fix, where the grapes and must are heated to near boiling prior to fermentation) or traditional Burgundian winemaking methods – this can cause confusion as each gives a very different wine style.

Let's deal with the Burgundy disconnect first...

Open up any world wine atlas and you'll find that Beaujolais appears on the Burgundy map; go to a basic introductory wine course and you'll learn about Beaujolais in the Burgundy class. Yet, even the cru vineyards in the north of Burgundy are much closer to the city of Lyon (more associated with the Rhône) than they are to Burgundy's capital city of Dijon. The rolling landscape and climate is more southern, the vineyards are higher and steeper, with soils nothing like the clay-limestone dominated terroir of Côte