Beaujolais Nouveau is a red wine produced from the Gamay grape variety in the French region of Beaujolais, Burgundy. The young wine flows from the barrels only six weeks after the end of the grape harvest, always on the third Thursday of November. Between 18 and 20 November you can taste the “crazy” wine from France, as well as quality Bulgarian wines, at the sixth edition of DIVino.Taste. 2016
The exact moment that reminds us of the approaching winter and manages to gather the last warm colors of autumn into vinous sensations is the appearance of the young wine. Always at 00:00 on the third Thursday of November, the new vintage of Beaujolais, which establishes the tradition of drinking wine only six weeks after the harvest, is released for sale. All over the world this day has turned into an eagerly awaited celebration of Beaujolais, marked by the phrase “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!” (in French: “The new Beaujolais has arrived!”).
The young wine from the Gamay Noir variety is produced for immediate consumption without aging and must be drunk within half a year, one year at most. The profile of the aromatic beverage is distinctly fruity (raspberry, blackberry, flowers), while their bodies are light and fresh and tannin is not a leading component in them. This is why they are served chilled between 12°C and 14°C. Although young, these are wines with character. Therefore they are drunk greedily, in large sips, and it is advisable that they be accompanied by food that does not suppress their intense aroma.
The name Beaujolais includes 72 villages, which are divided into two areas. 57% of the total area is marketed as Beaujolais Nouveau.
More than 50% of the wine is exported, with the largest markets being Germany and Japan, followed by the USA.
Gamay Noir variety (Gamay Noir)
Gamay Noir is a wine grape variety originating from France. It is also widespread in Italy, Romania and other winegrowing countries. In Bulgaria it is zoned, but still occupies small areas.
Gamay Noir is a medium-ripening wine variety. Its grapes ripen in the first half of September. It has moderate vigor, high fertility and high yield. It prefers lighter soils, as its grapes are susceptible to rot. It is relatively resistant to drought, rot and low temperatures. It ripens in the first half of September.
The bunch is medium-sized, cylindrical, winged, with one wing, compact. The berry is medium-sized, spherical or irregular in shape, dark blue, with abundant bloom. The skin is thin and tough. The flesh is juicy, with a harmonious taste.
It produces high-quality red table wines with an intense red color, body, harmonious taste and a distinctive bouquet. The most famous is the renowned Burgundy wine Beaujolais.
Vinification technology
The fruity character and intense color of the young wines from Beaujolais are also due to the special vinification technology. With the carbonic maceration (macération carbonique) used in a closed tank filled with carbon dioxide, whole clusters of freshly harvested grapes are placed (cultured yeast strains may be added if the natural ones are not of the desired type and quality). The lowest layer of grapes is crushed by the weight of the upper ones and the grape juice released triggers fermentation. The carbon dioxide formed during this process is more than usual; it envelops the upper layers of uncrushed grapes and blocks the access of air. Fermentation begins to take place inside the grape berries, causing them to release more grape juice. Finally, the entire mass is pressed and fermentation is completed in the standard way.
2016 vintage
Despite the not particularly favorable climatic conditions, especially at the beginning of the year, the Beaujolais harvest is expected to be higher than the average of the last few years. Fortunately, the summer was warm and the last weeks before the harvest were dry, which made the 2016 vintage eagerly anticipated.
If you would like to taste Beaujolais Nouveau and the newest Bulgarian wines, come to DiVino.Taste 2016! The sixth edition of the largest forum for Bulgarian wine starts on Friday, 18 November and will continue until 20 November, in Hall 3 of the National Palace of Culture. This year a record number of producers are participating – 73!
