2008 Beaujolais Nouveau

**Napoleon54** · 11-24-2008, 05:48 PM

Beaujolais Nouveau... does anyone else follow this?

For those not in-the-know, Beaujolais Nouveau is like the most exciting annual event in the world of wine. It is the first wine produced from 2008 grapes. This stuff was hanging from the vines literally just a few months ago. The gimmick is this: every year a few vineyards in France rush to put out an expedited release of 2008 wine. This is unique because wine typically takes a few years to age, build character, improve, mellow, yadda yadda. Not so with Nouveau. The idea is to get this stuff on the market ASAP so that people and experts can have an early taste and try to predict what kind of year it will be for wines in general. It is released annually on the third Thursday in November. The most common vinter in the US is Georges Duboeuf. Go to any decent wine store and it'll be the stuff in the flamboyant orange bottles/cases right inside the door. Go try it! It's like $8-12.

Beaujolais is a fruity red, very enjoyable and friendly to even those who typically don't like reds. Low tannins. Nouveau, due to its lack of aging, is always kinda raw and simple, but easy-drinking and very upfront, easy for novices to analyze and enjoy.

Go try it!

Has anyone else had a sip of the 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau yet?

**Prngr44** · 11-25-2008, 08:39 AM

Haven't tried it yet but I'll try anything once!

**Markel** · 11-25-2008, 08:46 AM

I remember reading about some of the rabid fanaticism to be the first place to sample the annual Beaujolais Nouveau. Back in the days that the Concorde was still flying, some would schedule a flight to the US from France just to get it here a few hours sooner than someone else.

**BlueTriangle** · 12-03-2008, 09:16 AM

I was in France last year when the Beaujolais Nouveau came out and it was awesome!

**Markel** · 12-03-2008, 04:37 PM

I saw the Georges Duboeuf at Trader Joe's (I think for $9). The wine guy there said it is very dry this year.

**zippyjuan** · 12-03-2008, 05:00 PM

I haven't had any in several years now- not that I don't like it I just don't drink much wine these days. Basically barely fermented wine- grape juice with a little alcohol. Refreshing but won't keep long. Enjoy it young.

**kgsilvas** · 12-30-2008, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Markel

I saw the Georges Duboeuf at Trader Joe's (I think for $9). The wine guy there said it is very dry this year.

Got ours at TJ's a couple of weeks ago. We had a couple of quite drinkable glasses. Used it in the "Leftover Honeybaked Ham and Navy Bean" soup after Christmas. Yum!

**janzyb** · 01-22-2009, 12:58 AM

French wines are great in general, but I prefer wines from Bourgogne. It's the same region that makes the famous dijon mustard.

**eSDee** · 02-07-2009, 11:22 AM

Charles Shaw is by FAR the greatest wine on the planet.

**Markel** · 02-07-2009, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by eSDee

Charles Shaw is by FAR the greatest wine on the planet.

Haha. Trader Joes (i.e., Charles Shaw) had to remove the name "Beaujolais" from their wine this year. It seems that the French were upset at the use of that word.

**zippyjuan** · 02-07-2009, 03:04 PM

Some names have regional references and they like to protect those. Technically Champagne only comes from the Champagne region in France. Everything else is sparking wine.

I don't hear any tradmark lawsuits over American Cheese (although some would like them to refrain from calling it cheese- some labels now say "processed cheese food"- whatever that means- do you feed it to your pet cheese?) or Swiss Cheese.