It’s a tradition in the wine world: Beaujolais Nouveau arrives every year on the third Thursday of November. This year, it will be this Thursday, November 21. The opportunity to look at this often unloved new product.
Beaujolais Nouveau, some expect it, others fear it. This vintage, often unloved, nevertheless remains little known. Where does it really come from? “The official version is as follows: on March 11, 1951, the regulations concerning the sale of wines changed. A decree published in the Official Journal specifies that ‘producers are authorized to release from their cellars wines from the year’s harvest benefiting from the controlled designation of origin from December 15 of each year’. Disagreeing with this publication, the Union Viticole du Beaujolais requests authorization to market its wines en primeur. The request was accepted on November 13, 1951 and marked the birth of Beaujolais Nouveau.“, explains Simon Pirard, winemaker.
Despite this rich history of more than 70 years, wine lovers are torn over the taste of this Beaujolais. Indeed, this wine does not have the reputation of a “great wine”. “Beaujolais Nouveau must be taken for what it is: a friend’s wine, a ‘glou-glou’ wine, a young wine, with no other pretension than sharing a glass with friends. Above all, it represents a good opportunity to make the party! Pseudo-connoisseurs want to find breadth, length, evolving aromas in wines… In short, all the chatter around most of the bottles we open Beaujolais Nouveau doesn’t care.“, specifies the winemaker, adding that if Beaujolais has become so popular it is also thanks to its “playful” and friendly character.
Can we still enjoy the taste of this Beaujolais? As is often the case with wines, it’s all a question of marriage. “Simple wine, simple plate! Some lovely charcuterie, sausages, Lyon rosette… Served a little chilled, it goes perfectly with a raclette or tartiflette“, finally advises the winemaker.
Last remark: Beaujolais Nouveau remains a simple wine, to be drunk throughout the year. Do not try to keep it, it is not made for…
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