Beaujolais Nouveau Day is the third Thursday of November, when this traditional French area releases wines from its newest harvest. Bottled solely weeks after harvest, these wines are supposed to be consumed younger, inside months of buy. They provide a preview of what every classic will categorical within the years forward.
Celebrating Beaujolais Nouveau Day in America on Nov. 17 was Franck Duboeuf, CEO of Les Vins Georges Duboeuf, and son of the late, legendary Georges Duboeuf, who popularized the Nouveau custom. Duboeuf led a tasting at High quality Bistro in New York (after his son not too long ago visited for a sampling of the 2020 Georges Duboeuf Domaine and Chateaux Vintages.)
Duboeuf first launched Beaujolais Nouveau Rosé in 2018, amidst the class craze.
“It stays part of the custom now with Nouveau,” Duboeuf says. “Although a small portion of rosé was all the time made and drunk domestically in Beaujolais.”
The area’s conventional gamay grape is “apparent” for rosé, he explains, because the dark-skinned varietal produces lighter juice. Beaujolais Nouveau Rosé sees no maceration, “stem to metal,” and is pressed instantly.
The consequence a purposely delicate product, gentle in coloration and freshly scented. “We attempt to keep away from an excessive amount of of the exuberant aromas,” Duboeuf explains. “We desire extra conventional aromas, like raspberries. We wish our rosé gentle and nice, with plenty of freshness and a little bit of stress. It’s simple to drink, and nicely balanced.”
Commercial
The 2022 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Rosé Nouveau retails for $15.99 per 750-ml. bottle. It paired properly with our appetizers of crab cake, steak tartare Rossini foie gras, inexperienced garlic escargot and bibb lettuce with avocado.
Poured subsequent was a pairing of distinction: The 2022 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau ($14.99) and the 2022 Beaujolais Nouveau Chateau Chateau d’Ouilly ($17.99). The previous is the corporate’s commonplace launch, whereas the latter is a single property. The distinction? The usual bottle was well-rounded with plenty of cherry flavors, whereas the single-estate supplied a bit extra acidity and freshness. Each had been delicate, nice, easy-drinking and food-friendly.
General, the 2022 Beaujolais Nouveau represented “a harvest of extremes,” Duboeuf says. A dry, cool winter noticed little to no frost harm, not like final yr’s punishing chilly. Then summer season arrived with file warmth, reaching temperatures final recorded in Beaujolais in 1947.
“It was so sizzling that photosynthesis stopped,” Duboeuf recollects. This slowed maturation, leading to smaller grapes. Round 30 to 40% of the harvest was misplaced this fashion, across the similar share of fruit ruined by winter 2021’s horrible frost.
Regardless of summer season troubles, “We’re very completely happy and happy with this classic,” Duboeuf says. “It has unimaginable acidity. We thought it may be just like the 2003 classic, the place the acidity was overboard, however that is extra balanced.”
“We just like the model of this classic,” he provides. “It has a deep-red coloration. Aromas are contemporary and nice. The flavors aren’t simply black berry, however brisker due to the great ranges of acidity. We’re tempted to check 2022 with 2020, 2015 and 2009 — essentially the most prestigious vintages. Time will inform.”
The tasting concluded with one other pairing: The 2022 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Villages Nouveau ($15.99) and 2022 Georges Duboeuf Domaine des Trois Vallons Beaujolais Nouveau ($18.99).
The Villages launch, representing the Beaujolais northern appellation, was nicely balanced with black fruits (particularly black cherry) earlier than a pleasant tannin on the finish. “The Villages all the time produce very balanced wines,” Duboeuf says.
As for the Domaine des Trois Vallons, “I’d describe it as a basket of black and crimson fruits,” Duboeuf provides. With a superb physique and wealthy mouthfeel — the very best of each from the bunch — it held up splendidly with filet mignon au poivre, served a wonderfully medium uncommon.
Altogether, the 2022 Nouveau Day was one other showcase of the area’s glorious and various gamay wines, poised for good getting old years forward.
“We’ve a mosaic of soils in Beaujolais,” Duboeuf says. “This allows us to supply very-strong-character wines.”
