Beaujolais Nouveau is a light red wine from the Beaujolais region of France. Beaujolais Nouveau is made from the Gamay grape that comes from the Beaujolais Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée and the only grape which is permitted to be grown in the region. The wine is made using a process of whole cluster fermentation known as "carbonic maceration". After the wine is pasteurized, it is ready to drink in 6-8 weeks. Although the harvest of Beaujolais Nouveau grapes occurs at different times, It is not until the third Thursday of each November that the wine can be released, according to French law.http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/show-me-chicago/2010/11/beaujolais-nouveau-release-day-2010-grape-fun-in-chicago-and-around-the-world.html While some wine varieties gain goodness and value with age, Beaujolais Noveau is intended to be drunk young as the Nouveau in the name implies, ideally before the following May.http://www.fabulousdrinksaustin.com/2010/11/fabulous-drink-of-beaujolais-nouveau.html There are exceptional vintages, however, which are preserved and aged.
Beaujolais Nouveau Releases
The 2010 Beaujolais Nouveaux release was held on November 18th at one minute past midnight when over a million cases of Beaujolais Nouveaux started their journey throughout the world.http://www.intowine.com/beaujolais2.html This Beaujolais Nouveaux distribution accounts for half of the regions annual productions, approximately 65 million bottles of wine.http://www.intowine.com/beaujolais2.html
The 2009 Beaujolais Nouveaux was released on November 19, 2009. Many restaurants and wine bars around the world held release parties.http://www.google.com/search?q=2009+beaujolais+nouveau+release+party According to top producer Georges Duboeuf, the 2009 vintage was "the sort of vintage you see once in a lifetime".http://www.duboeuf.com/#/en/page/BeaujolaisNouveau/le2009/le-millesime-du-soleil Compared with typical Beaujolais Nouveau vintages, which offer light wines with strawberry or bubblegum aromas, Duboeuf expected the 2009 vintage to be full-bodied with flavors of blackcurrants and black cherries.
