Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé!
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As we approach the third Thursday of November, Beaujolais Nouveau Day is on our radar. This annual celebration marks the release of the first wines from the Northern Hemisphere's harvest. According to French law, these wines officially debut at midnight, but the festivities often begin earlier!
Reflecting on tradition, we imagine winemakers floating barrels down the Saône river, allowing the fermentation process to complete during the journey. The barrels, arriving in town, would find eager patrons ready for a festive experience. This narrative encapsulates the global celebration of Beaujolais Nouveau Day.
Recently, Gnarly Vines hosted an in-store tasting event, featuring select bottles for a curated experience:
Featured Selections:
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2023 Pierre-Marie Chermette Griottes Nouveau - Burgundy, France - $18
This cuvée is the epitome of Beaujolais Nouveau - the first red wine of the vintage from the Northern Hemisphere - fresh, ripe, light and eminently quaffable! Yet Chermette’s version remains an honest, high-integrity natural wine like all of their more serious wines. 100% Gamay fermented using a technique called carbonic-maceration which emphasizes freshness while suppressing the tannins. As such, it’s super supple and easy to drink. A charming wine that pairs perfectly with sesame-soy glazed chicken and garlicky yu choy (Chinese broccoli).
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2023 Las Jaras Slipper Sippers Nouveau Old Vines - North Coast, CA (750ml) - $25
From Las Jaras winemakers Eric and Joel comes this west coast take on a Beaujolais Nouveau. A blend of 74% Valdiguie (known as “Napa Gamay”), 18% Petit Sirah, and 8% Zinfandel, each grape is vinified separately and undergoes 14 days of carbonic maceration. Slipper Sippers is a juicy wine with bright acidity and a nose full of dark fruit, chocolate covered cherry and boysenberry, finishing with fine tannins.
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2023 Laurence et Remi Dufaitre Beaujolais Nouveau - Beaujolais Villages, France (750ml) - $19
This 100% Gamay from Laurence and Rémi Dufaitre is full of meadow flowers and dark cherries, with a touch of light fizz. The Nouveau is fermented in concrete tanks before bottling quickly to preserve the fresh first taste of the vintage. This year’s vintage is lean and restrained, with a subtle sour note and aromas of rich dark fruit. Laurence and Rémi Dufaitre’s Beaujolais Nouveau is a bright, natural take on a well-made classic.
In-Store Tasting Promotion:
During the tasting, all three featured bottles were available with a 10% discount, as we do with all the bottles we open during our in-store tasting events. Notably, the 2023 Laurence et Remi Dufaitre Beaujolais Nouveau has been wildly popular, leading the sales race. We think it's drinking very well this vintage too!
We invite you to join us at Gnarly Vines in celebration of Beaujolais Nouveau Day. Enhance your experience, acquire a bottle, and toast to this venerable tradition, not just today, but for the rest of the Holiday season!
Warm regards,
the Gnarly Vines team