I don’t think there are many people who love Beaujolais Nouveau as much as I do. In 2014 I celebrated the third Thursday of November in 2014 on top of the bar at “Le Barricou” in Paris pouring Nouveau into people’s glasses as the lined up for a drink. In 2015, Vadim Chelekhov and I gave birth to what is now the 80x wine company as we made Nouveau at Rosewood working with Niagara fruit.
So yeah, I love Nouveau. Even with one of my French friends exclaiming to me “Beaujolais Nouveau is for Hobos” (thanks Nico) – I have managed to resist their influence. Even over the 8 years of writing about wine I have seen the quality of these wines get better (in general). I think in spite of snobbery these wines are just plain fun – and something to look forward to every year. I really like the fact that these are wines that you can’t, won’t, and shouldn’t be saving for a special occasion – the third thursday of November every year these wines are the special occasion.
Here is what to look forward to this year for the Nouveau release.
Negrar Novello Del Venetian – LCBO 899955 – $10.95 – The Italian offering with the lion on the bottle – there is some nice spice on the finish.
La Pere La Grolle Beaujolais – LCBO 640052 – $14.95 – Not going to lie – the label is one of the things that has sucked me in to grabbing this bottle. All the French offerings this year bring nice acidity – but concentration is hit or miss – this bottle definitely delivers a hit.
Duboeuf Nouveau – LCBO 891846 – $10.95 – Certainly the most economical offering of the French wines delivering nice concentration of red fruit met with nice acidity.
Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau – LCBO 932780 – $16.95 – The Beaujolais Villages Nouveau brings some nice concentration – juicy red fruit and crisp acidity.
Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau – LCBO 113266 – $17.95 – This is the king of all the Nouveau offerings this year – The fruit profile pushes in on blueberry and blackberry but still with a nice candied cherry note – this is very tasty.
I am having a T-bone steak dinner with a bottle of Joseph Drouhin 2018 tonight, I have a few other bottles of Nouveau wines, all different, but I am taking your word for it that this one is the best.