Fall means shorter days and cooler nights. But you don't have to dig out the bold, heavy reds. Beaujolais is a wonderful transition wine. From the Beaujolais region just south of Burgundy, France, only Gamay grapes can be used. Drinking Beaujolais is like slipping into a light linen jacket, whereas Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandels are like wrapping yourself in a wool trenchcoat (in other words, they're better to save for when the temperature drops).

Beaujolais' lighter body, few tannins, high acidity and intense fruit notes make this a great stand-alone wine or one to pair with a hard cheese (such as Raclette) or a soft fromage (feta is a great choice). And with most bottles priced under $15, this is a great excuse to host a wine-tasting party where you and your friends sip through a flight.

Beaujolais Nouveau Day (the third Thursday of November) is when the first bottles are released. Meant to be consumed while young, this wine's grapes are harvested between late August and early September, fermented for only a few days, then whisked into bottles in time for the release. Back in the 19th century, bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau would sail down the Saone River to Lyon not long after harvest. But it was only 24 years ago that the Institut National de l'Origine created the uniform release date.

Yesterday I posted about the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau--and why I think you should try a Cru Beaujolais instead. Some commenters told me that they'll stick with the Nouveau version, and that's totally cool. Especially if you live in Japan, where you can get Beaujolais Nouveau with a Hello Kitty logo. As if that's not a sweet enough deal, the bottle is also plastic, a much more environmentally friendly shipping container, especially for an inexpensive wine meant to be drunk immediately like Beaujolais Nouveau.

It may surprise some to hear that plastic is greener than glass--after all, glass is 100 percent recyclable. But, according to research by Tyler Colman, aka Dr. Vino, plastic is much less carbon-intensive overall because it's lighter to ship.

In a moment of "eat my words," I'll admit today what I wouldn't have yesterday: if I came across the Hello Kitty plastic bottle, I'd be tempted to buy it. It's pretty cute, no?

On the third Thursday in November, wine retailers around the world proclaim it from their rooftops: Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!

Beaujolais Nouveau is a super-young version of regular Beaujolais, made from the Gamay grape in the Beaujolais region in southern Burgundy, France. It's harvested, made, bottled, and shipped as early as 7 weeks after fermentation. Because the Gamay grape makes wines already light in body, light in tannins, and meant to be drunk early, the Nouveau version is even lighter and fruitier. I've fallen for the Nouveau hype in years past, only to realize after the initial excitement has faded that it's more like drinking (expensive) juice than anything. Or I've accidentally let a bottle linger in my wine rack for too long, only to discover that above all, Nouveau must be drunk early.

Essentially, Beaujolais Nouveau is a very clever marketing gimmick, and I would rather support the quality efforts from the region than a bottle of overhype. This year, as the new vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau rolls in, I'm going to drink some regular Beaujolais instead of the Nouveau. There are four status levels besides Nouveau: Beaujolais AC, the most generic; Beaujolais Superieur AC, a higher quality, Beaujolais-Villages AC; and the top quality Cru wines made from individual villages like Moulin-a-Vent and Fleurie. None are overly expensive; I got a couple of widely-available Beaujolais-Villages bottles for less than $12 last week.

Beaujolais is an extremely food-friendly wine, especially in the fall when you're simmering stews, braising meat, and turning to seasonal fare like squash and mushrooms. Tonight I'll make a simple Chicken Cacciatore and raise my glass of Beaujolais, celebrating the fact that it's a 2006 instead of a Nouveau.

Do you like Beaujolais Nouveau or think it's all hype?

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!

Nouveau means new in French, which is basically what these wines are. They are very young Beaujolais wines of lesser quality that are created to be drunk weeks, as opposed to months or years after the harvest, and are the first wines of the season. Beaujolais are made from the Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc grape variety. The Beaujolais Nouveau style started in the 1800's and has developed and grown since then. All grapes used in making wine in the Beaujolais region must be picked by hand, a law that is only enforced in one other wine region, Champagne. The Beaujolais region is 34 miles long and apx 8 miles wide with nearly 4,000 grape growers. Beaujolais Nouveau cannot be made from grapes grown in the 10 crus (great growths) of Beaujolais, only from grapes coming from the appellations (wines distinctive of a particular area) of Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages. Usually around one third of the crop each year is sold as Beaujolais Nouveau.

Technically Beaujolais Nouveau should be called Beaujolais Primeur since by French and European rules a wine released during the period between its harvest and some time in the following spring, is called primeur. A wine released during the time between its own and the following years harvest is called nouveau.

These wines are very fruity and light with a bit lower alcohol levels than most red wines; they should be drunk within a few months of bottling. Beaujolais Nouveau is designed for drinking, not fancy tastings with discussions on the wines flaws and merits, and most definitely this is not a wine for collectors to store and age. It is a red wine for white wine drinkers to enjoy, since it has many of the characteristics of a white wine.