Some of the best books in our wine library at home have been found at annual library sales at the $5 and $10 tables. Open year-round is Book Bay at Fort Mason in San Francisco, a treasure trove with hundreds of used books. It is great fun to visit periodically to find out what’s "new" on the shelves. Never have we come out empty handed, and are always surprised at the finds.
By Dianne Boate & Robert Meyer
Published: January, 2007
That’s how we found Hugh Johnson’s Modern Encyclopedia of Wine, 3rd Edition, and Windows on the World Complete Wine Course – a lively guide, by Kevin Zraly. We turned to these for better insight on the world of Beaujolais, since it is that time of year.
What is Beaujolais?
Beaujolais is a Burgundy. The region of Burgundy has four main wine producing areas: Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune, Beaujolais, Cote Chalonnaise. All red Burgundy wine is made from just two grape varietals: Red Burgundy is made from Pinot Noir grapes; Beaujolais is made from Gamay grapes. There are three levels of quality.
1. Basic Beaujolais is the first level, and very reasonably priced.
2. Beaujolais Villages is wine blended from grapes grown in 35 certain villages. The village can be found on the label. It’s a little pricier. We just purchased an excellent Beaujolais Villages, Domaine de Colette Beaujolais Villages, 2005 for around $11.
3. Cru, commands the highest prices, and names one of 10 villages making a top-quality Beaujolais: Brouilly, Morgon, Mulin-a Vent, Fleurie, Cote de Brouilly, Chiroubles, Chenas, Julienas, Saint-Amour, Regnie.
Beaujolais Nouveau?
Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine made quickly, and meant to be consumed within 6 months. Traditionally it appears on the third Thursday in November, so this tells us to drink it by May. The wine is lighter and fruitier than basic Beaujolais — very easy to drink.
Hugh Johnson explains it this way: This is essentially now-or-never wine, originally destined to be sold in local cafes and by the carafe in restaurants. It is best drunk as young as possible… the term nouveau… really only means the wine of the last harvest, until the next.
Kevin Zraly says, There’s another purpose behind Beaujolais Nouveau: like a preview of a movie, it offers the wine-consuming public a sample of the quality of the vintage and style that the winemaker will produce for release in the spring.
Another good comment was offered to us by Tristan at Blackwell’s Wines and Spirits in San Francisco: Beaujolais is a good introduction to red wines for those who love white wines. This is drink for thought.
Dianne Boate is a freelance writer, photographer and botanical illustration artist. Robert Meyer is a consultant to the wine and spirits industry. Their best memory of the hoopla that surrounds the release of Beaujolais Nouveau in November was the time the French wine was released in Napa County on the appointed day, to be handed over to bicycle enthusiasts, who then had a race to the London Wine Bar in San Francisco, where we all breathlessly awaited the winning racer, and a glass of the new wine.
