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Wine
Reviews: Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Villages
by: Vino Joe (e-mail)
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Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Villages is one of Vino
Joe's Favorite Wines!
Whether you realize it or not, you probably have seen Beaujolais (BO-jzuh-lay) at your favorite wine and liquor shop. However, the one you've
seen -- which is one of the most popular wines in the USA -- is not the one we're discussing here. Allow me to digress for a moment....
Beaujolais is a region inside France, technically part of Burgundy, though most wine geeks consider it separate. The main grape grown there is Gamay, which produces light, fruity, fun
wines -- not serious enough for the snobs but overly enjoyable to the rest of us! Around Thanksgiving time, you no doubt will see banners, displays, posters, and other decorations celebrating the "arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau". Beaujolais Nouveau (new-VOE) is the very first wine released from the current year's harvest, and represents a "preview" of what the region's other wines will taste like when they've fully matured in the spring or summer of the following year. The celebration of its arrival was more or less confined to the Beaujolais region until wine producer Georges Duboeuf had the brilliance to promote the occasion overseas in the early 1980s. As a result, today the tradition is fully entrenched on American soil, evidenced by the colorful, flowery Duboeuf bottles that cover the floors and stack the shelves beginning on the third Thursday of every November.
However, Beaujolais Nouveau, with its almost candy-like flavor, is not necessarily the best Beaujolais has to offer. If you've had Nouveau and thought "nah, I don't like Beaujolais, it's too sweet and simple", think again. The non-Nouveau, or mature Beaujolais wines, are in fact very tasty, more dry than sweet, and match with almost everything. And since they don't have the cachet of their pinot noir-based Burgundian neighbors, you will find some GREAT values.
To find them, look for Beaujolais wines that have a specific appellation on the label. Some of these include Chenas, Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon and Moulin a Vent. Or the one we review here, Beaujolais Villages. Any of these wines are fruit-forward, have lots of bright and fun cherrylike flavors, soft tannins, good acid, and are enjoyed at room temperature or slightly chilled. Many snobs scoff at the simplicity of Beaujolais wines; however, I find them a hell of a lot of FUN! Most are under fifteen bucks, and the price plus the universal appeal (EVERYONE enjoys Beaujolais) make it a good choice for an outdoor barbecue or similar get-together.
The example here is from that marketing genius himself, Georges Duboeuf. Beyond the popular Nouveau, Duboeuf's other wines are very good -- and affordable. The Beaujolais Village has a faint nose of sour cherry, cranberry and black raspberry. Same fruits are tasted in the mouth. Good acidity, imperceptible tannins. Actually, it tastes kind of like a sour cherry pie.
This is a bright, simple red wine with a sharpness that screams for fatty or acidic food. A great match for simple, All-American fare such as cheeseburgers, pizza, tacos or a Philly cheesesteak. I enjoyed it with a beef burrito from a Tex-Mex takeout joint...I'd like to see some snob try THAT with their favorite wine!
Send any questions, comments or wine stories to
vinojoe@bullz-eye.com.
For even more info on wine, visit our Vices
Web Guide!
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