It's almost heeeeere.....

[quijote]

From past threads I've noticed that many of the regulars here didn't care much for the 2002 Beaujolais Nouveau. What seems to be the buzz for the 2003 supply? What kind of interaction has taken place between weather and vineyard in that part of France? Any predictions regarding quality or characteristics of this year's BN?

What producers should I look out for in the shops? Any in particular that have a good track record? Any that consistently produce plonk?

[Kcwhippet]

Check this site, Georgie - www.intowine.com/dbvintage03.html. George DuBoeuf is saying this is the best BN he's ever made, mainly because of the early harvest, from what I read.

[Georgie]

I'm sure you were answering quijote. I WISH I knew enough about wine to ask as intelligent a question as that! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[hotwine]

Couldn't find any comments from Duboeuf on his own Website (georgesduboeuf.com), but found interesting notes at http://www.intowine.com/dbvintage03.html, including quotes from Duboeuf. The harvest was 3-4 weeks earlier than normal, with higher temperatures and reduced rainfall adding to the winter's thinning program, in which 40% of the vines were pulled up to improve quality. Result he thinks will be the finest Nouveau of his career, perhaps in over a century. We'll see, come 20 Nov.

[Kcwhippet]

Yep, I did mean quijote. It's the age thing again.

[Thomas]

Never met a producer who doesn't think this year will be the finest ever.

If gamay was early because of the hot summer, I would be wary of the nouveaux--they might be quite "hot" from too much ripeness in the grapes--fruity and fresh is the nouveaux mantle.

[quijote]

I wish I knew enough about wine to be able to *answer* my question, but oh well....if I live another twenty years, maybe I'll have a clue. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

Thanks for the responses. I have seen so much Duboeuf around(not BN as such, but other kinds of wine), that something in the back of my mind says "It Must Be Plonk." I guess I should train myself to accept that even heavily marketed and highly popular wines can be good and aren't always necessarily "McWine."



[This message has been edited by quijote (edited 11-11-2003).]

[winoweenie]

Hey Q I always take 4 bottles down to Rocky Point for Thanksgiving. Along with 4 of Zin,
Reisling, Chard, white zin and then my stash of Cabs for breakfast. My friendly pusher assures me these are good quaffers but he says that about every year as Foodster pointed out.WW

[wondersofwine]

In 2001 I prefered the Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau over that of Georges DuBoeuf. The wine shop where I bought it had Jadot, DuBoeuf, and Drouhin with DuBoeuf at one dollar more than the Jadot and Drouhin at one dollar more than the DuBoeuf. I felt the one-two dollar difference in price was worth it in quality but that was one vintage. Can't vouch for this year's.

[Botafogo]

Thankfully, we will have the superior and cheaper Italian versions here on Monday. This is our annual pitch on why we don't sell the French stuff (this particular edition is from the year they were blowing up islands in the Pacific, hence the title):

No Nukes Nouveau!

The French (airlines!) have made a multi-million dollar industry out of shipping the new vintage of Beaujolais to our doors just in time for the Turkey Day festivities. Sounds like a great idea, right? Wrong! Why? Because they insist on blowing up islands? No! While that sure doesn’t help, this is about wine. Read on, friends.

First of all, the whole point of the annual Beaujolais Nouveau craze in France is to celebrate the local harvest, whenever Mother Nature decrees that it occur. But, when the marketing geniuses in the French Dept. of Agriculture decided (for all the right reasons, see below) that nothing could be better with Thom Gobbler than a fresh, fruity, non-tannic red they overlooked one crucial issue: Thanksgiving is on the last Thursday in November come rain or shine. Once you make the commitment to ship on B-Day

you must bottle and pack on B-day minus 14

rack on B-day - 16

ferment on B-Day - 19

crush on B-day - 20

and pick on B-Day - 22 whether the grapes are ripe or not!

About half the time they make it and the wines are delicious, about half the time they don’t and the wines are green and nasty. But, every time they ship them here air express which cost almost as much as the wine!

Our solution is threefold: First of all, to celebrate the local harvest we have selected the very best 1996 wine from right here in California where the harvest is often in late August (!), our perennial favorite Preston Gamay Beaujolais. Then, the explosively zesty Zenato Bardolino Novello and Cavit Novello di Teroldego made from vineyards hundreds of miles south of Beaujolais where it is possible to make great wine every vintage and ship it by boat to your feast with time (and dinero!) to spare.

Finally, for those who don’t do red wines, the hot new Villiera Blue Ridge Blanc from The Cape of Good Wines where they harvest in March.

A public service message from WINE EXPO and The Society for the Prevention of Jaded Palates who remind you that the moderate consumption of wine with meals can lead to
good digestion, convivial conversation and generally civilized living.

Three years in a row our picks of the Italian offerings have won a blind tasting sponsored by a FRENCH cooking school....

Roberto

[quijote]

Points well taken, one and all. A friend of mine has been planning a Beaujolais party for later this month, so I'll be sure to insist on different kinds (including the Drouhin), and I'll show up with a couple of Italians (wines, that is, and I hope to find Roberto's recs) and maybe something else, just for the heckuvit.

[Drew]

Everyone is welcome to my share of any vintage of NB...nasty stuff for the money.

Drew

[winoweenie]

Party-Pooper! (agree in spades but the kids like it)ww

[Thomas]

quijote, if you can, take along a few Italians with the Italian wine--if only for a display of beauty amongst the nouveau lunacy...

[Thomas]

After downing a fine Juliennas (sp) last night at a restaurant, to accompany duck confit, I can say with no remorse: let the others drink nouveau, I will drink Cru Beaujolais...

[quijote]

Foodie, I like the idea of bringing along some Italians to the fest. From what I hear about the party's menu, a few Italians might be needed there to kick the food up a notch or five.