21 And Looking For A Starting Place

[wondersofwine]

I think Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages is a nice fruity red wine to start trying red wines. It's technically a dry wine because it has minimal residual sugar, but in a decent vintage the fruity taste makes it seem almost sweet. It is low in tannins which can make a red wine seem harsh or bitter to the newcomer to wines (and sometimes to experienced wine drinkers). Beaujolais wines are from the Gamay grape.
The Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages can sometimes be found in a half-bottle size (375ml)($5 to $7) which is good for one or two people to open and finish without deterioration from being open several days. A full bottle (750ml) may be found for $9-$12. 2002 was a good vintage. If you try the Beaujolais Villages and like it, you may also want to try a Beaujolais Cru wine (from recognized top districts) such as Fleurie or Julienas or Brouilly. They will have Fleurie, Brouilly, etc. on the label but not Beaujolais. These are usually less than $20 a bottle (unless particularly famous producer or vineyard).

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 07-16-2004).]