Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!

Beaujolais nouveau is a wine of the Gamay variety produced in the Beaujolais (AOC) region of France that is authorized for immediate sale after fermentation. It is the most popular vin de primeur, a wine harvested in fall and sold before spring (much sooner than it could be produced through normal fermentation).

 

Beaujolais nouveau is produced by carbonic maceration followed by Pasteurization, a process which bypasses malolactic fermentation. The wine is ready to be drunk a scant six weeks after the harvest. Each year the new Beaujolais is officially released on the 3rd Thursday of November and no time earlier, which has been mandated by French Law. Just after midnight a race begins to ship the wine out all around the world as quickly as possible. For a vintner the economic advantages of selling one's wine before the end of the year are substantial, although the wine itself varies dramatically in quality.

 

Beaujolais nouveau is not a wine to keep; it must be rapidly consumed within a few months of its production. Some wine critics consider it to have an immature but enjoyable flavor not too different from unfermented grape juice, and Karen MacNeil, author of Workman Publishing's The Wine Bible, compares the experience of drinking Beaujolais Nouveau to eating cookie dough.

 

Young, Beaujolais should be served chilled, at approximately 13°C (55°F), to encourage its fruity complexion. The fuller Beaujolais, on the other hand, are best at about 17°C (60-65°F).

 

Around 45,000,000 liters of Beaujolais nouveau is produced each year, making up about a third of the region's total wine production. About half of this is exported, some of it as far as Asia. By far the largest production comes from the négociant Georges Duboeuf, who makes the well-known "flower labels".

 

The commercial success of Beaujolais nouveau has lead to the development of similar primeur wines, first in other regions of France and later in other wine producing countries such as Italy (vino novello).

 

In the United States, it is common for Beaujolais Nouveau to be drunk on Thanksgiving, since the holiday falls only a week after the year's production goes on sale.

 

In France, where the wine is made, Winemakers who have worked hard all year tend to look forward to Beaujolais Nouveau Day as a celebration of the season coming to an end.

 

Taste: Unlike other red wines, the Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be served chilled. The idea behind this being drank at colder temperatures allows it to be more refreshing and more evident fruit flavors.

 

Nouveau's are light, fruity red wines which are very easy to drink. This wine is a perfect choice for people wanting to get into red wines rather than white wines.

 

Since the Beaujolais Nouveau is produced by carbonic maceration (whole berry fermentation), there is little or no tannins, which allows for a less bitter taste. This technique preserves the fresh, fruity quality of the wine, without extracting bitter tannins from the grape skins.

 

Grape: Gamay noir à Jus Blanc is the only allowed grape to be used in the Beaujolais Nouveau. All the grapes in the Beaujolais region must be picked by hand. These are the only vineyards, along with Champagne, where hand harvesting is mandatory.

 

Enjoy: The phrase, ”Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!“ is proclaimed and celebrated on banners, advertisements, etc. in order to lure in the fans of this excellent wine. In English, this is simply stated as, "The New Beaujolais has arrived!"

 

Georges Duboeuf Evaluates the 2006 Beaujolais Harvest

The 2006 Beaujolais wine harvest started on September 5th with excellent weather conditions. The north wind provided a hint of coolness that kept the nights fresh and the vines healthy. During the last eight days there was lots of sunshine with temperatures reaching more than 86°F; this ensured that the crop reached its full maturity. We are very content and pleased with these first ten days of harvesting and thank St. Vincent, the patron saint of winemakers, for watching over the vines this year.

 

An important point of this harvest is the control and attention with which the grapes are sorted. Any dry grapes or grapes with mold are eliminated to ensure that only perfectly healthy grapes are used. It is hard work and requires a meticulous eye and selection, but the winemakers do it with great concentration.

 

According to the winemakers, the 2006 crop is as good as last year's; this confirms my own observations. The few grapes I have tried were astonishingly sugary, flowery and very tasty. The grapes are round, plump and firm. The grape skins are thick, which is a good sign of richness of phenolic components and especially in anthocyane, which gives the wine its color. When the bunches are cut and put into the bucket, emptied into the 'Jarlot' back basket and finally tipped into the reception tanks at the ends of the rows, the grapes bounce—this is yet another sign of quality.

 

The first wines produced are very good. We have already had the opportunity of tasting a few pressings. It can be very difficult to make a judgment based on tasting about 50 samples, but it shows the trend and gives an indication of the vintage. The colors are good, not quite as dark as last year but a good deep red with purple-blue reflections. The nose is fruity and elegant, meaty with lots of fermentation notes that show hints of strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry. It is a beautiful palate of flavors. In the mouth, the first vats tasted are very pleasant with the great flavor of fresh grapes, bursting with red fruits. In analytical terms we are very close to the 2005 vintage.

 

We have also tasted the first samples of the Beaujolais Nouveau, produced in the South of Beaujolais. They are good, even better than last year in a number of instances. Some winemakers in both the Beaujolais-Villages and Beaujolais appellations have even told me they were more proud of their vines this year—more so than last year—and feel as if they must produce a wine that is just as good if not better than the 2005.

 

Overall, we are happy, confident and satisfied with this vintage.

 

Georges Duboeuf

Romaneche-Thorins

 

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