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DECANTING WITH DELKIN
Beaujolais Nouveau
Est Arrive!  Enjoy!
                    
                           By Fred Delkin
 
     Seek out your favorite wine vendor and share the celebration inherent in the season's arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau, the fresh and fruity red released each fall from the Beaujolais region of eastern France, on the southern edge of Burgundy.
 
Nouveau is a holiday quaff whose tradition extends back a century when the vintners of Beaujolais began to ship casks of a new wine via barge on the Saone River to the urbanites of Lyon and Paris as a  symbol of holiday celebration.
 
Nouveau is vinted within a few weeks of harvest of the Gamay grape which dominates the Beaujolais vineyards.  Now French law determines that this light, smooth red can only be released from a bonded warehouse on the third Thursday of November at 12:01 a.m.  Today, Nouveau represents 1/3 of all Beajolais region production.  Most Nouveau is pressed from the "Beaujolais"
appellation, with a lesser amount coming from Beaujolais-Villages
appellation, while none is produced from  the Beaujolais Cru designation.

Marketing promotion

We witnessed the promotional fanfare accompanying Nouveau release when we  were on a London business trip and were barraged by multi-media advertisingdeclaring "Nouveau est Arrive!"  Groceries, Delis, wine shops and department stores covered windows and aisles with point of purchase promos for this vinous child of Beaujolais.

The European Union member nations are a prime target for Nouveau export.  Germany grabbed almost 3 million bottles in 2003, while The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, the UK, Poland, The Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Greece and Finland rounded out the top 10 among the 25 EU members.  Little Cyrpus brought up the imporet xear, with a mere 931 bottles.

Here in the U.S., Nouveau is peddled at around $10 per 750ml.  Large French negotiants such as Georges DuBoeuf and Louis Jadot lead the labeling.  This wine is ideal for turkey toasting, while its smooth and gulpable characteristics compliment any poultry preparation.  It is a tasty additive to any gravy preparation. Nouveau should be served slightly chilled, 15-20
minutes in your fridge to bring out an explosion of fruit and spice in your mouth.

The Gamay grape is also grown in small amounts beyond France,
particularly in Switzerland, where its affinity for high altitude is admired and it is blended with Pinot Noir to produce the Dole blend that tops Swiss wine exports.  California vinters label some production "Gamay Beaujolais", but this is a misnomer (remember "Rhine wine" and Hearty Burgundy"), since the beverage emanates from a clone of Pinot Noir, not the true Gamay.

Hie thyself to your vendor, pick up a case of Nouveau Beaujolais and know that it is ideal for holiday celebration from now to the New Year.

Correction:   Decanting column in October issue misidentified Santa Monica Wine Expo shop's Robert sRogness as "owner" of establishment...not so, says Rogness, he's Manager, not an owner

© 2004 Oregon Magazine