I’m a very festive person in general, so I get especially excited about wine holidays! One of my favorites is Beaujolais Thursday, which is the third Thursday in November when each year’s vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau is released.
This is a fun wine tradition that started in 1935 and has been tweaked, official, unofficial, but always recognized. This is one of the few wines that is meant to drink ASAP! (Do not think that this is true for all Beaujolais — once you get to the village level and beyond they can be quite age worthy.) Basically everywhere that Beaujolais goes importers agree not to release it until the third Thursday of November, and then its brightly colored labels hit the shelves around the world making for a super tasty, fun, easy, cost-effective, holiday wine… and a FABULOUS reason to drink!
This year the release day was November 15, 2012, but sadly there was NONE to be found in Harlingen, Texas. I stopped at the three wine stores that are available to me and no one had heard of the holiday or this wine, and so I went home sad and defeated. But my husband being the wonderful man that he is kept up the search and one of the stores must have listened to my cries, because last night Mr. Godot came home with a nice shiny bottle of 2012 Georges Dubeuf Beaujolais Nouveau for me to review for you!
Producer: Geaorges Dubeuf (One of the key players in the Beaujolais Nouveau game)
http://www.facebook.com/georgesduboeuf
Region: Beaujolais, France (Burgundy)
Grape: Gamay
Vintage: 2012
Sight:
- Color: A purple core to a magenta rim
- Youthful
- Brilliant
- No Gas
- No Sediment
- Med + Viscosity
Nose: 
- Youthful & Healthy
- Primary Notes: Candied raspberry, blueberry bubble gum, plum skin, & petunias
- Secondary notes: Cucumber, fresh-cut grass, & rubber balls
- Minerality: Wet Slate
Pallet:
- Dry
- Medium Plus Body
- Medium Acid
- Low Tannin
- Signs of Carbonic Maceration
- Super fruity & juicy
- Medium Alcohol (12%)
- All of the fruit and minerality carries through to the palate
- Fun start and quick finish
Would Pair Best With :
- Turkey
- Movie Night
- Burgers
Final Thoughts: I am very impressed with this year’s offering. I feel like the fruit and floral notes are in the forefront, which make this a fun and inviting wine. I feel like 2010 & 2011 were lacking in the ripeness. That being said I would drink this a quickly as you can, because once this fruit starts to fade there is not much to be found.
Other Links to Check Out:
You can see my thoughts oo the 2009 offering at:
And if you want to learn more about Beaujolais as a region check out this video:
I hope you all have an easy, tasty holiday… and as always feel free to share your Beaujolais stories with me.
Salute!
