The marketing spectacle that is BND happens to be one of my earliest vino-memories. The race to get the first bottles of Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc across the English Channel, a.k.a. La Manche, to Blighty's Nouveau enthusiasts, always made it on to the national news broadcasts. The challenge usually took the form of differing forms of transportation all earnestly employed in the conveyance of the new vintage, as tout de suite as possible. I seem to remember that one year a Mini and a Citroën 2CV, both laden with cases of Beaujolais, competed for the distinction of being the first to arrive on Albion's shores. Unfortunately, I can't remember who the victor was.
And why shouldn't the villagers of Beaujolais enjoy their vin de primeur as early as they wish? The modern day contrivance of a red wine languishing in an expensive Limousin oak barrel, for perhaps 2 years and upwards, in some respects is just a fashion. However, the average consumer now expects, nay demands, oak characteristics in wine. I could happily drink Vinoland's 2018 Syrah, that was pressed off last Sunday, now - it is simply an unoaked wine. Beaujolais Nouveau is a fun, inexpensive wine with no pretensions of being anything other than that. I love it, I even respect it, as it takes almost the same amount of effort to farm, harvest and vint the Gamay grapes as any other red wine varietal. It is a celebration in a glass.
So how was the wine? I could only find one Beaujolais in Napa (BevMo), ideally I would have liked to compare at least two. The Georges Duboeuf, 2018 Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau (AOC Beaujolais) was delightful. On the nose, a heady whiff of defrosted-strawberries, cherry, bubble gum and pear drop (Isoamyl acetate) gave way to a subtle blue-floral element. A more than acceptable amount of grape tannins gave the wine a nice mouthfeel, even if the finish was a little abrupt. At $11.99 this new-wine was a marvelous midweek tipple. À votre santé!
