"beaujolais" news and stories

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.

Garlic clove. Photo: Muffet, Flickr

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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?

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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?

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