Le Beaujolais Nouveau, c'est arrive!

[CouchCoach]

For those of you not as worldly as I am, that's frainch for Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived! That ! is the same in most languages. I don't know where to git me one of them funny little things over the e in arrive, so forgive me.

In case you've not tried this, allow me to attempt to sell you on it. This is the first pressing of Beaujolais and quite a celebration in France and quite a few of the better restaurants celebrated in Dallas the day it arrived which is the third Thursday in November, prompting the creation of "Thirsty Thursdays".

What makes this red wine different is the absence of sulfites, which means it does not age and needs to be consumed within 6 months, and tannins. Some people have problems with heavy tannins and that is what is usually associated with "red wine head". Never got that once in all the years of drinking and this and have been since 1978. And I can easily put down a bottle and crack another.

So, if you're looking for a good red, and in the affordable range of 9-13, for your Thanksgiving feast, this is a great choice and I have turned dozens of non red drinkers onto this and they love it.

And before you ask, no, it's doesn't come in a box. I already asked.

 

[YosemiteSam]

As a wine lover, I'm not a huge fan of Beaujolais Nouveau reds, though the region of Beaujolais produces some fantastic aged wines. I just prefer my reds aged as young red wines are very rough on the palette. Portugal produces a lot of Verde (green, or young) wines. Most are whites though. Young white wines are much easier to consume, though even whites are far better with 9-12 months of aging on them.

You're right though. Sulfities cause some people problems. Red wines due to the lower acidity tend to require much higher sulfites to protect them while whites have their natural acidity to help protect them and why whites tend to have less adverse (read headaches) on some people.

The great thing is I make a lot of wine myself and my sulfites even on red wines are far far lower than commercial wines. Commercial wines require 300 ppm, mine are close to 20-50ppm. The reason I can use less is I won't age my wines over five years. (I use 5 year corks) Commerical wines need to be able to sit longer than that and therefore need higher sulfites content to last that long.

 

[CouchCoach]

As a wine lover, I'm not a huge fan of Beaujolais Nouveau reds, though the region of Beaujolais produces some fantastic aged wines. I just prefer my reds aged as young red wines are very rough on the palette. Portugal produces a lot of Verde (green, or young) wines. Most are whites though. Young white wines are much easier to consume, though even whites are far better with 9-12 months of aging on them.

You're right though. Sulfities cause some people problems. Red wines due to the lower acidity tend to require much higher sulfites to protect them while whites have their natural acidity to help protect them and why whites tend to have less adverse (read headaches) on some people.

The great thing is I make a lot of wine myself and my sulfites even on red wines are far far lower than commercial wines. Commercial wines require 300 ppm, mine are close to 20-50ppm. The reason I can use less is I won't age my wines over five years. (I use 5 year corks) Commerical wines need to be able to sit longer than that and therefore need higher sulfites content to last that long.

It is not my favorite red but there is so much tradition around it that the memories are better than the wine. Most oenophiles don't like it but every year, on that Thursday, I'd grab some, some pate, brie, pears and remarkable French bread and make a night of it. As I will do tomorrow and several times during the holidays. It is like the birth of something every year at this time. But, then I will return to my favorites: Cab, Pinto Noir and Italian and Spanish reds and have found some blends that are excellent.

I do not have a refined palate when it comes to wine. They describe currants, chocolate with a toasted caramel finish, I don't taste any of that. It either tastes good to me or I feel I need to scrape my tongue with a Brillo pad.

However, those who say vodka is flavorless and odorless, I completely disagree. If I've had the vodka before, I can identify it in blind tastings really well. I think that's odd, you'd think I could identify those flavors and nuances of wine.

 

[Tabascocat]

Is it basically grape juice with some alcohol? Give me the bolder reds anyday......

 

[CouchCoach]

Is it basically grape juice with some alcohol? Give me the bolder reds anyday......

Wouldn't go that far, it is not that sweet, it ain't Ripple, but it isn't bold by any means but a lot of people don't want bold. As long as it hasn't gone to vinegar, no bad wine, just all about different palates.

Wine is a funny item as there is little connection between price and quality most of the time in reds and whites, champagne, yep, big difference. However, I must say, the best wine I ever had was considered expensive and is now 300+ a bottle. And my wife and I consumed at least 10 bottles over a couple of months after Opus One was introduced and it didn't cost us a dime, except for gratuity.

One of the bennies of managing radio stations is restaurant trade for advertising but most exclude alcohol, as they know radio people too well. However, the owner of the Top of the Hoff in Boise liked us and didn't exclude that from our deal and had no problem with us using that on Opus as long as it was by the glass at $30 a pop. It was a cool place with a great bar at the highest point in downtown Boise. We figured we did about 10 bottles but the staff liked us because we tipped better than the cash paying customers and would usually hang at the end night and shut down the bar with them and buy them drinks. Plus we had concert tickets, CDs and all kinds of cool swag.

I have considered getting a bottle of Opus One for the holidays as a present to myself but something like that, and that expensive, should be shared with a special someone. However, I have been known to get beside myself so maybe I could qualify for another someone, just not special? I am considering it, loving myself for treating me so well and hating me for being so frivolous when it's gone.

And then there's the "how many good bottles could you buy for $300 instead of just one"? I keep asking myself so I think I have safely crossed the want line to the needs staging area. Y'all think Booger is a great salesman, he ain't nothing compared to me. I am undefeated in selling myself a want is a need. And there is no such thing as buyer's remorse.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Is it basically grape juice with some alcohol? Give me the bolder reds anyday......

I'm with you here. A big fat bold Zinfandel, Cab/Sauv, Petite Syrah, or a Barossa Valley Shiraz. Those are my favorites, though if you can get an awesome Pinot Noir (they are usually either terrible, just ok, or kick bleeping ***) you are in for a great night.

One of my favorite non-bank breaking wines is Joel Gott Zinfandel. (their Cab/Sauv is very good too) They are around the $17 range, but I would easily pay $28+ for them. They are absolutely wonderful.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Wine is a funny item as there is little connection between price and quality most of the time

This all the way. As my Joel Gott reference above.

Not only that. Most decent or better Oregon Pinot Noir are $50+. Yet, there is one called Elouan that cost me about $21 a bottle and it will poop all over most of those $50+ bottles. The one tip for Elouan though is. Open the bottle. Pour a glass and let it sit for like 30 minutes (with the bottle left open too) It will open up and become silky smooth! Easily one of the best sub $25 pinots I've ever had.

Another brand to look at that sell for around $10 is 19 Crimes. They aren't super great, but at freaking $10 they are way better than almost any wine in that price range.

They are basically white label wines I believe. Meaning, they buy from other wineries and then sell them under their own label. (I could be wrong, but I don't believe so)

 

[YosemiteSam]

Two other more uncommon varietals I would recommend Grenache and Monastrell (Juan Gil's Monastrell if you can get it It's pretty cheap too).

 

[Tabascocat]

Opus One is probably my favorite but the cost keeps us down to a few bottles a year

It is cheaper to just go to their vineyard in Napa, which we do every month

Oh, I used to manage a wine cellar in a fancy restaurant, so I do know wines pretty well.

My drinking wine to just “drink a lot” is Gallo Sauv Blanc, I developed a taste for it at a whopping $3.99 a bottle

 

[CouchCoach]

This all the way. As my Joel Gott reference above.

Not only that. Most decent or better Oregon Pinot Noir are $50+. Yet, there is one called Elouan that cost me about $21 a bottle and it will poop all over most of those $50+ bottles. The one tip for Elouan though is. Open the bottle. Pour a glass and let it sit for like 30 minutes (with the bottle left open too) It will open up and become silky smooth! Easily one of the best sub $25 pinots I've ever had.

Another brand to look at that sell for around $10 is 19 Crimes. They aren't super great, but at freaking $10 they are way better than almost any wine in that price range.

They are basically white label wines I believe. Meaning, they buy from other wineries and then sell them under their own label. (I could be wrong, but I don't believe so)

Speaking of breathing wines, and you were, I watch and subscribe to America's Test Kitchen and have for several years. I like cooking shows anyway but also like the science behind it and the experimentation they carry out.

Well, one was on breathing big reds and they tried many things including the aerators, breathing the bottle from anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours and would conduct tests on the changes and also had a tasting panel. They could not find enough change when just breathing the bottle so they took two water pitchers and began by pouring the bottle into one pitcher in a steady stream and then testing and tasting and did this through 15 different pours back and forth and the winner was 12, both is testing and tasting.

So, being the skeptic that I am, I decided to try that myself only I didn't taste it after every pour. I tasted a Mt. Veeder Cab out of the bottle, a one hour bottle breathe and pours with the pitchers and I really couldn't tell the difference between 6 or 9 or 12 but at 6, man, the difference was noticeable to an unrefined palate like mine. I will go the additional to 12 just because they were right about it and they've got the science. It is a pain in the butt to do it but it is worth it and even works well on a heady Chard. Takes some of the oakie bite out of it.

 

[CouchCoach]

Opus One is probably my favorite but the cost keeps us down to a few bottles a year

It is cheaper to just go to their vineyard in Napa, which we do every month

Oh, I used to manage a wine cellar in a fancy restaurant, so I do know wines pretty well.

My drinking wine to just “drink a lot” is Gallo Sauv Blanc, I developed a taste for it at a whopping $3.99 a bottle

There ya go, reinforcing that price v quality thing about wine.

I tell ya, with all the hype about Opus, we thought this can't be that good and that ritual with the monogrammed silver tray, etched glasses and even the napkins was a little much and we figured all for the show. My wife and I took our first sip and just looked at each other with awe and wonder. The only other wine that did that to us. and we used to do a couple during the holidays, was Dom Perignon. We thought we had tasted champagne until that.

My Dad loved champagne and one TDay eve we popped a Dom, he took a sip and said that's good but not worth the money. He said you can get a case of Korbel for what one bottle of this costs and this isn't 12 times better. Then he took another sip and paused and said "and if I'd never tasted this, Korbel would have been just great".

 

[YosemiteSam]

My drinking wine to just “drink a lot” is Gallo Sauv Blanc, I developed a taste for it at a whopping $3.99 a bottle

heh I like *some* Sauvignon Blanc, (prefer the blended versions) though many taste like what I would guess it would taste like if you licked the bottom of a lawn mower after mowing a wet field.

If I see the Gallo version, I will grab one and give it a try. (shutters at the sub $4 price point thought!)

hah When I bottle my wines, the bottle, cork, and label cost me about $2.50. That would leave a $1.50 for the cost of the wine itself rofl (my wines usually cost me about $4.50-$5 each to make)

 

[Tabascocat]

heh I like *some* Sauvignon Blanc, (prefer the blended versions) though many taste like what I would guess it would taste like if you licked the bottom of a lawn mower after mowing a wet field.

If I see the Gallo version, I will grab one and give it a try. (shutters at the sub $4 price point thought!)

hah When I bottle my wines, the bottle, cork, and label cost me about $2.50. That would leave a $1.50 for the cost of the wine itself rofl (my wines usually cost me about $4.50-$5 each to make)

It is the only one I will drink under the $8 mark or so. It really is an easy drinking wine but it might take a bottle or two to get into.

 

[timb2]

I don't speak FROG!!!

 

[Londonboy]

 

[Ranching]

How much does a Menage a trois cost?

 

[Tabascocat]

How much does a Menage a trois cost?

If you have to ask, you can't afford it