It’s been a while since my last post, so I figured now that I am done licking my wounds from losing my Crushpad contest, that now was as good a time as any to jump back in. :)
Today is the 3rd Thursday of November marks ‘Beaujolais Nouveau Day” here in the US.
While it’s definitely more of a marketing gimmick than anything else, it also marks a special day for me personally. My dad would always buy and serve Beaujolais Nouveau for Thanksgiving, and as a kid I remember the vivid and brightly colored labels each year. While he didn’t make a big deal about it, it was still nice to see that he enjoyed the ‘ceremonial’ aspect of the wine’s release and that each year I get to enjoy a brief remembrance (and a glass of wine, of course).
Beaujolais Nouveau comes from the Beaujolais region in France, and is made from 100 percent Gamay grapes. Its very light bodied and the flavor is very distinct – extra ‘grapey’ – and obviously has a very young flavor to it, but remarkably isn’t too sugary to enjoy (most of the time).
Nouveau was what the vineyard workers drank to celebrate the end of harvest and giving them a first taste of the new vintage. This celebration became ‘official’ in 1985, when France passed a law requiring that Beaujolais Nouveau must be released on the third Thursday in November everywhere in the world. Thus, the creation of ‘Beaujolais Nouveau Day’ began!
The absolute best part of Beaujolais Nouveau though, is the price. Usually, a bottle of Nouveau will run you somewhere between $7-9, so you have very little to lose and a lot to gain.
So grab a bottle, and join me in enjoying a (new?) tradition!
Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day, Dad!
-z
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