Author: Dirk Chan
Every year on the third Thursday of November- on the 19th this year, the famous Beaujolais Nouveau is released with great fanfare to the world. Freshly made, the tradition and hype lead to much merry-making with fireworks and numerous parties where the wine is the star.
This year, we’re skipping the usual painted bottle, and bringing in the Flower version of the same George Duboeuf Beaujolais Villages – $24.99, a wine we feel offers the best quality. You can now pre-buy in advance to secure what you require. Wines will be available at the store early afternoon on Thursday, Nov 19th.
What is Beaujolais Nouveau? It’s a light, fruity red made from the Gamay grape. Strawberry, raspberry, cotton candy and banana on the nose with a light fruity palate and literally no tannins. Serve this slightly chilled. How is Beaujolais Nouveau made – well the grapes are harvested by hand but do not go thru the typical fermentation process. Rather, they go throug a carbonic maceration – instead of crushing the grapes and allowing the juice to ferment, carbonic maceration allows the whole grapes to ferment. The grapes are put into a vessel and the weight of the grapes will crush some of the bottom grapes which begin to ferment. The remainder of the juice still inside the uncrushed grapes will also ferment. The wine is pasteurized to prevent secondary malolactic fermentation. The whole process can be accomplished in about six weeks. This type of fermentation can produce a drinkable wine more quickly.
Beaujolais Nouveau is meant for current drinking, capturing its freshness and fruitiness, it is not meant for aging at all. So go ahead, place your order, and be comfortable in the knowlege you can send out invities to your Beaujolais Nouveau party and your wines will be there for your event! Quantities are limited and on a first come first serve basis.
2020 Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau (Beaujolais, France) – $24.99