'03 Beaujolais Villages

[Innkeeper]

Have had two of these recently. Picked up the '03 GDB at Costco in Orlando ($6.99). We drank it with our relatives in Ellicott City, MD. It was a Oh Boy Wow wine. An explosion of fruit, and more like a young Burgundy than a Beaujolais. Recommend it for those looking for the unusual. A great quaffer.

Yesterday we pickup up the '03 Louis Jadot at a local supermarket ($9.99). Somehow or other this negociant got ahold of grapes that did not get overripe in the heat. It is more normal than the GDB. Very nice normal at that. For them at least it was an excellent vintage. Great red fruit with more than a semblance of structure. Matched it with broiled fillet steaks. Wonderful.

[hotwine]

IK, for comparison, we still have our largest suprmarket chain trying to pimp the '04 GDB Nouveau at their "sale" price of $10 (not one penny different from their original price). No takers. The stuff is just gathering dust.

[Innkeeper]

Picked up another bottle today to go with Greek Baked Chicken Pilaf. Big hit with all here; the wine that is, as daughter makes the chicken dish regularly.

GREEK BAKED CHICKEN PILAF:

12 Chicken thighs
Granulated garlic (garlic powder)
Salt & pepper
Tubed tomato paste (or 1 tbl canned)
1/2 C Olive oil
2 1/2 C Chicken stock
1 C Rice

Oil baking dish with a little of the olive oil. Place chicken pieces in dish skin side up. Pour rest of oil over chicken. Season with garlic, salt & pepper. Dab with tubbed tomato paste or ¼ tsp on each piece of the canned. Add ½ cup of water or stock (not over chicken) and bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Turn and season other side (no more tomato paste) and bake another 15 minutes. Sprinkle dish with rice and pour in remaining boiling water or stock. Turn chicken again leaving rice in bottom of pan. Cover (with aluminum foil if necessary) raise temp to 400º and bake for 30 more minutes. Serves four to six.

[jmcginley1]

I used to be annoyed that here in NJ you can't buy wine at supermarkets. Now I think it is a blessing in disguise. Whenever I want a bottle, I am "forced" to goto a liquor store with a better selection than a supermarket would have.

[jareese]

Tried a Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2003 tonite.. Not bad. Had some w/ dinner, thought it was better w/ the food than by itself. (chicken teriaki) I will be getting some more.

[Innkeeper]

Did you try it slightly chilled? Most lighter reds do better that way. You may even like it as a quaffer that way. I think Jadot did better with the troublesome (very hot summer) '03 vintage than most others.