“Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!”

The New Beaujolais has arrived!

A belated happy Beaujolais Nouveau [bo-zjoh-lay / noo-vo] to all of you who celebrated the occasion last Thursday!

Released every third Thursday each November, this light, fun, carefree little wine was originally created to celebrate the end of harvest, but has now come to represent a large, and fiercely competitive market within the wine industry. France’s Beaujolais province itself, while geographically closer to the Rhône wine region, is in fact considered part of Burgundy. The grape used in the creation of the wine is Gamay, and the widely practiced process called carbonic maceration (this process is seen as a less harsh method than traditional pressing and subsequent fermentation, and involves fermenting the juice in a carbon dioxide rich environment before the grapes are crushed) gives rise to a light bodied, easy-drinking, and fruity wine.

Its critics see its apparent unsophistication as a reason to dub it ‘Vin de Merde’, but personally, its fun and unassuming nature should not be damned, but celebrated as exactly as that – a party wine. Last week, Jenny and I were lucky enough to try alongside one another, three of Joseph Drouhin’s wines: their Beaujolais Nouveau 2009, Beaujolais Villages 2008 and the exciting Moulin-a-Vent 2007.

Saluting the occasion, we started off with the unashamedly bubblegum, violet and red berry fruit rich Nouveau, which practically leapt out of the glass at me like a young puppy. Not more than two months old, the contrast of the nose to the palate was remarkable, as the flavor disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. The Beaujolais Villages (grapes of a higher quality, produced from fewer sites) was slightly more sophisticated, though in all honesty, without the charm or lasting effect of the Nouveau. Luckily though, the Villages gave way to the wonderful Moulin-a-Vent (a selected single site producing high-quality grapes/wines or ‘Crus’), a worthy winner that turned out to be a hit amongst those lucky enough to try it. With all of the character of the Nouveau – though thankfully a little more restrained in the nose – it displayed primary notes of ripe red cherry, with faint secondary hints of tobacco smoke and leather. This is a great Thanksgiving wine; as well as being a fantastic match for white meat like turkey and chicken (the tart cherry characteristics almost seem to compliment those present in the traditional Turkey condiment, Cranberry sauce), it, being low in the tannin department could also suit a wider audience.

Anne Amie Winemaker's Selection Pinot Noir 2007

Its 2006 vintage was given 90 points by Wine Advocate, and after tasting the 2007, Anne Amie’s latest vintage on release is every bit as impressive. Just over twenty miles south west of Portland, Oregon, this vineyard, formerly Château Benoit has been transformed in the last ten years by winemaker Thomas Houseman and viticulturist, Jason Tosch to producing some of the best bottles in its price-range that you’ll find anywhere in the North East.

With its cool, but mild winters and warm, though not scorching summers, the relatively steady climate – and most importantly, temperature (moderated by the cool breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean) – throughout the growing season, suits the delicate Pinot Noir grape, and its cousin, the Pinot Gris incredibly well; indeed both are widely regarded as two of the Winery’s frequent standout varietals (Read about Anne Amie’s Pinot Gris at http://www.anneamie.com/details/44 ). It is these mild, stable growing conditions that reflect those of France’s famed region of Burgundy, and a far-cry from the young, purely fruit-driven Pinot Noirs found in many of its New World neighbors; Anne Amie’s Winemaker’s Selection truly reminds one of the ‘earthy’, ‘farmyard’ nuances typical of its Old World counterpart.

Continuing from nose through to palate, the Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir imparts strong notes of black berry fruit – in particular black cherry and blackberry itself. Secondary notes hint of tobacco smoke and mushroom earthiness, suggesting almost Burgundian characteristics. This wine is a perfect match for roast pork, and would certainly stand up to any Moroccan-style, spiced lamb dishes.

As a Winery which places as much emphasis on its ‘Green’ outlook as it does on its fantastic wine – both in its position as a L.I.V.E (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) farm and its accredited Salmon Safe status (maintaining healthy practices and demonstrating sustainable land management) this is truly one of the many Oregon wineries which, from a modest beginning, is rapidly on the rise. Indeed, who can say to what heights Anne Amie can reach under the shared vision of the shrewd, forward-thinking Thomas Houseman and Jason Tosch, given a further ten years at its helm?

Wine Class 101 - Week One: Tasting Method

Welcome to Week One of Wine Class 101, a short series of online lessons which you can read through and practice by yourself, or better yet, with a friend! Learn a few things about the wine you are drinking, and discuss the class or other wines you have tried recently with other forum members.

Simply click on the link below to download the first week's class:

http://www.filehosting.org/file/details/87331/Wine_Class_-_Week_1.doc

Have fun and happy drinking!

Wine Class 101 - Week 1: A Systematic Approach to Tasting

Welcome to Make Mine a Wine!

Hello and welcome to Make Mine a Wine!

This site is a forum-orientated, non-exclusive, virtual venue where Wine in all aspects can be discussed and enjoyed by anyone and everyone! Any questions and responses are welcome, be it sounding out the latest and greatest vintage you have just discovered, discovering and making known any Wine events that are coming up, or simply chatting to other like-minded wine enthusiasts.

In vino veritas - In wine, truth. So post away and let the truth be heard!