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"Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!"


FlaSoxxJim

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Despite being a dyed-in-the-wool beer guy, I have this important announcement to make:

 

"The New Beaujolais has arrived!!"

 

Well, not here quite yet, but it's coming.

 

At one minute past midnight on every third Thursday of November (that's today), the year's sole release of Beaujolais Nouveau is released to the waiting world.

 

Not intended to be laid down to age (in fact it lacks the structural complexity to mature well), the Nouveau is meant to be consumed within a few weeks to months before it is past its peak. They can be quite variable, even the same label varrying from case to case since the labels are owned by large "negociants" who buy up the grapes or even the finished wines of the smaller regional Beaujolais growers.

 

The release is timed perfectly for Thanksgiving, and bottles should be showing up near you as early as this weekend.

 

Any other fans out there?

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Oooooh, I've never heard of it, but I am a sucker for good wine. Yum. I'll keep an eye peeled (do NOT post the chien d'andalu or however it's spelled pick, though, please!), do you know how much it usually runs?

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QUOTE(Soxy @ Nov 17, 2005 -> 12:11 PM)
Oooooh, I've never heard of it, but I am a sucker for good wine. Yum. I'll keep an eye peeled (do NOT post the chien d'andalu or however it's spelled pick, though, please!), do you know how much it usually runs?

 

OK, I promise, no more Andalausian Dog images. :D

 

The awesome thing about the Beaujolais Nouveaus is that they come in at $10 or less a bottle. In all honesty, the vitners do take shortcuts with this one, the most profound being fermentation via whole-grape carbonic maceration rather than the more time consuming crushed grape technique with secondarry mallic fermentation and whatnot. This is simultaneously the reason why the Nouveau is ready to dring as soon as it is and also why it is unsuited for cellar maturation.

 

There are usually 4 or 5 different brands that come in, with the DuBoeuf label (always with a floral design) being the biggest one. Get one of each off the bat and try them over the T-Day weekend with friends. If there are any real standouts pick up a few more bottles the next week. The year's winning brand will sell out in a few days and it will all be gone within a couple of weeks.

 

The style definately has up and down years. 2003 was down. last year was pretty good. A few years ago (2000 or 2001?) was outstanding and is what made me a fan. If a particular year's offering turns out to be really good, you can get the same varietal grapes in a more refined and stable spring Beaujolais (NOT nouvous) that shows up around March.

 

What I like about Nouveau is the hit-or-miss aspect and the idea that this is such an epemeral seasonal thing, a table wine meant to be enjoyed soon after bottling and not something to snob over.

 

I dislike wine snobs. Beer snobs, on the other hand. . .

 

:D

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QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Nov 17, 2005 -> 12:47 PM)
It's a marketing ploy. Not really good wine.

 

A good year for the Beaujolais Nouveau makes it drinkable alcoholic cherry koolaid.

 

 

It was more a marketing ploy in the states a few years back, but consumers I think got wise to it. Plus a couple of years ago it was not very good so it turned some folks off.

 

And it is absolutely a way for teh region to sell 1/3 of its annal production before Christmas.

 

But like an unfiltered zwiekbier right out of the barrel, or an English ale out of the cask whose character changes on a daily basis until it's finished off, I really like the ephemeral aspect of the appelation.

 

Did I mention I dislike wine snobs? :D

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QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Nov 17, 2005 -> 01:47 PM)
It's a marketing ploy. Not really good wine.

 

A good year for the Beaujolais Nouveau makes it drinkable alcoholic cherry koolaid.

 

Hmmm, maybe I should have been more accurate in my representation of how me + wine + friends goes down.

 

Lots of cheap wine is downed and french accents are adopted and then we go to sleep.

 

I do like good wine, but usually have a hell of a good time with the cheapies stuff. Anyway, one of my dear friends got me turned onto Bordeaux, and damn, I get a major hankering for that occassionally. I miss Europe, good wine and *cheap*. Mmmmm.

 

And thanks Flaxx, I'm keeping my eye out for it.

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What do you know, ABC News posted a story on it:

 

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1322853

 

Sounds like good early reviews for the 2005 vintage:

 

Though experts have declared this year's vintage one of the best in decades, wine buffs and snobs like Rex Kickass traditionally sniff that Beaujolais Nouveau is too light and fruity to register as a "grand vin." Still, fans love it simply as a party wine that provides a good excuse for midnight merrymaking or even breakfast tasting.

 

. . .

 

This year's vintage has notes of wild blackberry, cranberry and black currant, with hints of cherry and raspberry and spicier flavors not unlike licorice, say producers. It is already being compared to the 1976 vintage, which followed a particularly hot summer.

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What do you know, ABC News posted a story on it

Sounds like good early reviews for the 2005 vintage ....

You think you can sneak the words “light and fruity” and my boy Rex’s name into the same sentence and skate free? Buster, you’d best be watching your back. Some big, bad butch is gonna sneak up and go *BAM* upside your head.

 

Just for the record, I’m a Coca-Cola snob. I just love that stuff. But anymore I usually just drink sparkling water flavored with some juice concentrate, bitters, and a big hunk of lime.

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QUOTE(Mercy! @ Nov 17, 2005 -> 11:10 PM)
You think you can sneak the words “light and fruity” and my boy Rex’s name into the same sentence and skate free?  Buster, you’d best be watching your back.  Some big, bad butch is gonna sneak up and go *BAM* upside your head.

 

Just for the record, I’m a Coca-Cola snob.  I just love that stuff.  But anymore I usually just drink sparkling water flavored with some juice concentrate, bitters, and a big hunk of lime.

:bang

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QUOTE(Rex Kickass @ Nov 18, 2005 -> 02:15 AM)
I drink it. I usually buy a half case every year.

 

But I know its not really a good wine.

 

I still like it.

 

But then again, I also eat mustard sandwiches and have been known to get down with a coffee table in my day.

Ah, the truth shall set you free.

 

And Iagree you can have fun with the release event around the holidays without having to believe you are drinking grand cru.

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