Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!

At one minute past midnight on the third Thursday of November, Beaujolais Nouveau, made from the Gamay grape, is officially released. There aren't many wines that provoke a reaction as strong as Beaujolais Nouveau. You either love it or hate it. Just a few weeks old and barely through fermentation, this grapey wine has become, for better or worse, a worldwide phenomenon.

What Is It?
Loved for its simplicity, Beaujolais Nouveau is fruity and ready to drink. It is amazing to realize that just weeks before this wine's release it was a cluster of grapes in a growers vineyard and within six weeks after the harvest, the wine is shipped quickly around the world. It has become a worldwide race to be the first to serve to this new wine of the harvest. In doing so, it has been carried by motorcycle, balloon, truck, helicopter, Concorde jet, elephant and runners to get it to its final destination.

The Debate
Beaujolais Nouveau provokes debate among amateurs and connoisseurs. From the connoisseur's standpoint, Beaujolais Nouveau has three strikes against it. The grapes come from the less distinguished vineyards in the Beaujolais region. They're picked early, before they have time to develop sufficient natural sugar and flavor. And the wine is almost always consumed in infancy, before it can develop enough complexity to be taken seriously. For others, drinking Beaujolais is a casual endeavor, and doesn't demand deep thought or deep pockets.

How To Serve It
This wine is meant to be drunk upon release and appears on shelves timed perfectly for Thanksgiving dinner. Beaujolais Nouveau should be served at "cellar temperature" that is, slightly chilled (cool, not cold) to bring out its cherry flavor. It goes with a wide variety of foods and pairs well with rich and fatty foods because the high acidity of the wine cuts through them perfectly. Its fruitiness is terrific as a counterpoint to spicy dishes, as well as, grilled sausages and soft goat cheese.

Cru Wines To Try
If you consider basic Beaujolais a bit lightweight look to the crus Beaujolais from the region's top 10 villages. While the grape remains the same—Gamay Noir—the quality is typically several notches above that of a Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages. Some to look for; Louis Jadot Fleurie, Georges Duboeuf Morgon Jean Descombes, Joseph Drouhin Brouilly.

No one claims it's wine worth a critic's review, but Beaujolais Nouveau has won the hearts of consumers. Maybe it is a long way from the pinnacle of what wine can be, but it is a wonderful reminder of what wine is; so give this juicy wine a try and drink a toast to the new vintage.