Beaujolais Nouveau 2018

Thursday, November 15, 2018.  It is World Philosophy Day.  If you happen to be in Belgium, then it is Koningsfeest or King's Feast. In Germany, it would be Feestday Duitse Gemeenschap or German Community Day. If you happen to be in France, or, more specifically, just outside of Lyon, it would be Beaujolais day ... or, the day that George DeBoeuf releases "the first wine of the harvest."

This is not the first time that I have tried and reviewed a Beaujolais Nouveau. In that post, I discussed how the wine was made, using Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc grapes or Gamay grapes. The laws governing the wine require the grapes to be picked by hand.  The whole grapes are fermented in a carbon dioxide rich environment, which results in the juice being fermented inside the grapes. The resulting wine is then "aged" for a brief period of time and bottled 6 to 8 weeks after the harvest. This is as young as a wine can get and one of the few reds that comes with the instructions, "drink on sight." 

The Beaujolais Nouveau pours a dark berry in color, with garnet or ruby tones. Those dark hues fade quickly toward the edges of the glass, turning a light maroon and even becoming a very light red along the edges.  

The aromatic elements of this wine start with a little tart cherry or cranberry, which subside as the wine opens. There is a slight earthiness, trending towards slate or pebble.  There is also perhaps some pencil shaving in the nose of the wine. 

They say that the Beaujolais Noveau may change a little from year to year. Back in 2012, I found some tart and sour cherries, which, as the wine opened, ripened into more full cherries. The complete opposite of what may have found, such as cherries, raspberries and other light red fruits. For 2018, the wine was not as tart.  Rather, the most prominent note was that cranberry. The wine is kind of a reminder that Thanksgiving in the United States, which often features a cranberry dish on the table, is just one week away. There are some other elements, such as some raspberry, that become more pronounced. As with the 2012 vintage, the tartness fades and the fruit ripens as the wine sits in the glass.  

Since it was released today and it is Beaujolais Nouveau Day, it is available at many wine stores. I paid a little more than $11.00 per bottle.  

ENJOY!

George Dubouef's Beaujolais Nouveau (2012)

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive!   Actually, it arrived a week ago.  (There is a little lag time when it comes to posts.)  The date and time were 12:01 a.m. on the third Tuesday of November.  At that precise moment, thousands upon thousands of Beaujolais Nouveau bottles were released to the public.  This release has followed a tradition that dates back to 1951.  Today, people come together to celebrate the release of each new vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau.  And the 2012 vintage was just released ....

Winemakers, like George Dubouef, produce Beaujolais Nouveau using the Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc grapes, which are also known as "Gamay" grapes.  These grapes are purplish in color, and are primarily grown in the Beaujolais region of France.  By law, the grapes must be picked by hand.  The winemaker then uses the process of carbonic maceration to ferment the grapes.  Whole grapes are fermented in a carbon-dioxide rich environment, which results in the juice fermenting inside the grapes.  (By contrast, traditional winemaking processes involving crushing the grapes to separate the juice and pulp from the skin, as well as using yeast to ferment the wine.)  The resulting wine is then "aged" for only a short period of time.  It is then bottled six to eight weeks after the harvest.  The result is a very young wine, that is said to be full of fruit.

This was the first time that I have tried Beaujolais Nouveau.  When I poured the wine, it was a purplish-pink in color.  The aroma and flavor of the wine seemed to exude citrus -- like grapefruit and melon -- as well as sour cherries.  This was a little unexpected, and, I just wrote it off to the youth of the wine.

However, that wine transformed before my eyes.  As it rested and got some air, the Beaujolais Nouveau began to transform itself.  The tart citrus and sour cherries that first greeted the drinker transformed themselves into full, ripe, red cherries.  As subsequent glasses of wine were poured and the bottle sat empty on the table, each new glass seemed as if it came from a different wine.  The young and edgy newcomer -- that 2012 vintage -- seemed to have aged, taking on the characteristics of a slightly older, but mellower vintage.

Once the wine has mellowed, it can be paired with a wide range of dishes.  The full berry flavor goes well with earthy and spicy flavors.  This wine may have actually paired well with a Thanksgiving dinner, complementing not only the turkey but all of the traditional sides, such as mashed potatoes and cranberries.  (Mere coincidence when it comes to the timing of the release ... or is it?)  I would think this wine could go well with roasted or grilled meats (which seem to grace the table of every party), as well as a host of French cheese, including brie.  

The Beaujolais Nouveau seems like it is available everywhere, both in wine stores and grocery stores.  A bottle sells for about $9.99.

ENJOY!