The third Thursday of November at 12:01 a.m. is a magical time for red wine enthusiasts. From a custom dating back over 100 years, it is the release of a wine denoting the end of the harvest -- Beaujolais. Not only does the Beaujolais wine from the Gamay grape make its debut in France, but also similar wines made from the first harvests are released around the globe. In the U. S. this briefly fermented wine is called Nouveau.
The red varieties of Nouveau are dry, but also soft and very fruity. The quality can vary greatly from year to year, maybe because of the quick 7-9 week production time line. Unlike other wines, it has a short rack life, generally being drinkable no more than six [preferably] to nine months [stretching it]. Making the November release more significant for Americans, wine experts tell us a slightly chilled Nouveau is nicely paired with Turkey and cranberries, a Thanksgiving Dinner requirement.
Although there are festivals around the Midwest [e.g., Chicago, Minneapolis] that celebrate the availability of the French Beaujolais, the only locally produced Nouveau I have come across in my research is from St. James Winery [www.stjameswinery.com], but have not had an occasion to try their Nouveau wine at this posting.
For the past several years, I personally have purchased the Charles Shaw Nouveau out of California from Trader Joe's in St. Louis --- with mixed results -- but for $2.99 a bottle I don't mind taking a chance each year. However, I was not fond of this year's product.
If you know of any other Midwest Nouveau, please let me know. Happy Wining!
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