Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

This morning I woke up and discovered that it is Beaujolais Nouveau Day. So, instead of the blog post I was going to use, I’m going to celebrate a day for a young, bright, chilly, fruity red wine from France!

Beaujolais Nouveau Day is celebrated on the 3^rd Thursday of November. It is celebrated by many festivals held in the Beaujolais region of France with wine tastings, live music, dancing, and contests. Marking the new release of the wine, they have a fireworks display at midnight!

What is Beaujolais Nouveau wine? Well, it’s a red Gamay grape that is hand-picked in the Beaujolais province of France. The region is 34 miles long from north to south and 7 to 9 miles wide. Originally, the wine was a cheap, bright cherry-colored wine drunk by local folks to celebrate the end of harvest. By the 1960s, its popularity had spread across France and then, around the world thanks to the great marketing efforts of Georges Duboeuf.

There are three areas of the Beaujolais province: Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages, and Beaujolais Cru. Beaujolais Nouveau is made from Gamay grapes from the southern part of Beaujolais but also can be from the more northern Beaujolais-Villages area. The label of the bottle will always signify “Beaujolais Nouveau”. Beaujolais Cru is typically a more aged-worthy wine fermented in a different style.

The Beaujolais Nouveau wines are vinified by carbonic maceration. This process leaves the wine light-bodied and free of any tannins. Therefore, they are not meant to age well. So, Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be drunk very young and chilled. It is typically hand-picked, processed, and sold within about three weeks! So, drink them soon. Red wine is not typically served chilled, but this one will be. It’s typically enjoyed at about 55 degrees Fahrenheit to accentuate the refreshing, fruity taste.

Celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau and pair yours with:

• Salmon
• Roast chicken
• Smoked ham
• Field greens salads
• Cream sauce pastas
• Turkey
• Pizza
• Cheeses: Feta, Brie, Camembert, Edam, Swiss, Munster, Mild Cheddar

I enjoy this wine once a year. Today is the day to try it! The most widely recognized is the Georges Duboeuf but there are many others to try. Hit up your local wine shop or retail wine seller and try a bottle.

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day 2020!

Santé!