Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration Feast Set November 21 at Walt Churchill’s Market in Maumee

French Beaujolais Nouveau wine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The 9th Annual Beaujolais Nouveau Celebration Feast is scheduled 6:00 PM, Thursday, November 21, at Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. The event celebrates the first release of the 2013 vintage. Beaujolais Nouveau is the harvest party of the wine world.

The feast will feature rich French cassoulet, the perfect dish to pair with the fresh delicious red wines of Beaujolais. The wine, produced from Gamay grapes located in the southern part of France’s Burgundy region, is a special category.

The wines are only seven to nine weeks old, quite a contrast to typical red wines which are aged for months and then released the following year or in some cases even longer. The Beaujolais is fresh and fruity and made to be consumed young.

Cost for the event is $35 per person and includes food and wine. Please call for reservations. The event is limited to 25 people.

We’ve attended the event in the past and there is a great party atmosphere. The Beaujolais wines are reasonably priced and make a good pairing with your Thanksgiving turkey.

Technorati Tags: Beaujolais Nouveau,wine,French wine

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BE IN THE KNOW ABOUT NOUVEAU

Beaujolais Nouveau is here! The first wine bottled from the 2011 vintage was officially released to the public yesterday (the third Thursday of November) amidst hype and celebrations. It’s a young, fun wine. Here are 10 facts so you're up to speed on this French phenomenon.

1. Beaujolais is located in the region of Burgundy, France, where winemaking traces back to the Roman times. There are 2,500 Beaujolais growers in the region.
2. By law, Beaujolais grapes must be harvested by hand and grown on individual, free standing vines. In 2011 the harvest started on August 24^th across the 3,000 vineyards.
3. Beaujolais Nouveau is made from 100% Gamay grapes, which have thinner skins than most grapes, causing a lower tannin level. The wine is meant to be served slightly cool, at about 55°F which makes it even more refreshing and fruit forward than if you serve it at room temperature.
4. Beaujolais Nouveau owes its easy drinkability to a winemaking process called carbonic maceration, or whole-berry fermentation. This technique preserves the fresh, fruity quality of the wine, without extracting bitter tannins from the grape skins.
5. Beaujolais Nouveau pairs beautifully with a range of foods, from casual dishes to holiday dishes such as turkey and ham. Because of the timing of its release, Beaujolais Nouveau is widely known as the ideal wine to serve at Thanksgiving.
6. Originally, Beaujolais Nouveau was the wine of the vineyard workers, consumed to celebrate the end of harvest and giving them a first taste of the new vintage.
7. In 1985, France passed a law requiring that Beaujolais Nouveau must always be released on the third Thursday in November all over the world.
8. As a way to herald the wine’s official release, Beaujolais Nouveau countdown parties became popular throughout France and abroad. Now, Beaujolais Nouveau Day is a global celebration, much like New Year’s Eve or Fat Tuesday.
9. More than 35 million bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau are expected to be consumed in the months following the wine’s release.
10. Since arriving for the first time in the U.S. in 1982, the Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau label has featured a vibrant, one- of- a- kind design.

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Satek Winery To Release First Nouveau Wine November 17

Satek Winery of Fremont, Indiana will be bringing a little bit of French celebration to Northeastern Indiana with the release of its very first nouveau-style wine creation on Thursday, November 17th—the same day as the official release date of Beaujolais Nouveau wines in France.  Huge festivities throughout France herald the release of the nouveau wine, thus perpetuating the correlation between this wine style and lighthearted celebrations.

The term nouveau refers to wines which are released in the same year in which the grapes are harvested.  Satek Winery’s version—Kreibaum Bay Nouveau—was made from recently-harvested Marechal Foch grapes from its very own Lake James vineyard.  In keeping with tradition, the whole clusters of grapes were fermented by a process of carbonic maceration, and then quickly pressed, which resulted in a fruity dry red with a light body and paler color.  Nouveau wines have a broad appeal because the bitter tannins, normally found in red wines, aren’t there, leaving an easy-to-drink, fruity wine.  They are at their peak drinkability within the first month, and are best served slightly cool.

Head winemaker Shane Christ is excited about the new wine release because “it highlights a new expression of our Marechal Foch grapes, as well as showing the dynamic growing conditions of our Lake James vineyard on Kreibaum Bay.  Nouveau is a celebration wine, and for us, it’s a celebration of our 17th harvest from that vineyard.”
Only about 15 cases of Kreibaum Bay Nouveau wine was made this year. It is priced at $11.17 a bottle, and is expected to sell out quickly.

Pam and Larry Satek opened Satek Winery in the summer of 2001, nestled on a picturesque 16-acre property in Fremont, in the heart of the region known as the “Land of 101 Lakes”.  In its eleventh year, Satek Winery will produce more than 100,000 bottles of wine, with 37 varieties.  They are open 7 days a week, with free tasting, from 10 AM to 6 PM. 

Technorati Tags: wine,Indiana wine

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2010 Wine Harvest Celebrated With Arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau

 

For wine lovers, the third Thursday of November holds a special place in their hearts. On that day the Beaujolais Nouveau is released and it is greeted with fanfare and celebration. A band of 30 vino fans gathered at Walt Churchill’s Market (Maumee) to celebrate the occasion with several different bottlings of BN and a hearty traditional French dish.

The wine, produced from Gamay grapes located in the southern part of France’s Burgundy region, is a special category. The wines are only seven to nine weeks old, quite a contrast to your typical red wines which are aged for months and then released the following year or in some cases even longer. These wines typically sell in the neighborhood of $10 to $15.

This is a celebration of the harvest that has endured as long as humans have cultivated grapes – and wine manager Austin Beeman was front and center during the event at Walt Churchill’s Market pouring wine and explaining the traditions. The Beaujolais is fresh and fruity and made to be consumed young. To accompany the wine we were treated to cassoulet – a white bean and meat stew with over a thousand years of history.

This wasn’t a wine tasting per se. Really, how do you compare wines that are only weeks old? It was more of a wine party with friends new and old. The cassoulet, as Austin related’ is a traditional French dish said to be served to Crusaders headed to the Holy Land. The dish is “maximum calories in minimum bites.” The exact recipe wasn’t shared, but there was plentiful meat (lamb? pork?) plus white b

eans.

We sampled BN wines from Georges Dubeouf, Bouchard Aine & Fils, Domaine Rochette and Joseph Drouhin. Glorious T and Green Dragon gave the nod to Maison Drouhin as having the best of the Beaujolais.

This is a very light and obviously young wine. There are no tannin flavors at all. It shouldn’t be stored and should be avoided if you see it on the shelves after the first of the year. This is a wine that could accompany your Thanksgiving turkey, although a nice Pinot Noir works great as well.

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Thanksgiving Wines: Our Experts Help You Pick The Perfect Wine

Thanksgiving is approaching and you still don't know what wine to serve with your holiday meal? No worries. Toledo Wines and Vines has consulted a panel of experts (Austin Beeman, Mike Gregg, Steve Parks and Matt Snyder) and we can tell you what to buy, how much it costs and where to get it. What more can you ask? So baste your turkey, uncork some of these great wines and enjoy.

Many of these wines are being presented at wine tastings Friday and Saturday (Nov. 20-21), so be sure to check our listing of weekly wine tastings listed elsewhere on this blog.

Without further ado, our distinguished panel and their suggestions...

Austin Beeman, wine department manager at Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. Churchill's offers many wines suitable for your Thanksgiving feast. Here are Austin's picks and he is available to recommend specific wines at the store:

Beaujolais Nouveau 2009 $9.99-$14.99

Good German Rieslings $14.99- ?

Red Zinfandels from Rosenblum $11.99-$49.99

Mike Gregg, wine department manager at Corks Wine and Liquor,Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800.  Mike's picks:

 
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut. One of the greatest sparklers in the store, and what a price! Perfect for the holidays and perfect with holiday meals. This wine is fantastic on its own, but has the ability to slice right through turkey, tofu, potatoes, and even pumpkin pie with elegance and grace. Its lively apple and creamy, spicy flavors just earned it a spot on Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2009 list. $19.99.

Handley Gewurztraminer. Buck the traditional chardonnays and reislings, and give this spicy gewurz a go. Done in a dry, Alsatian style, this wine shows off huge lychee and bright, clean fruit. The rich spice and light acidity on the palate make this a winning partner with traditional Thanksgiving fare, not to mention Thai, Indian, or any other spice-driven cuisine. $12.99.

MooBuzz Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is one of those 'go to' wines for the holiday season. Take this one home for Thanksgiving and you'll see why. Beautiful raspberry and cherry flavors, tongue-dancing acidity, and the softest touch of velvety vanilla make this wine an attractive crowd pleaser. $14.99.

Las Rocas Garnacha Vielles Vignes. This recent addition has set the store on fire! Everytime someone tastes it at our wine bar, they end up going home with a bottle or two. Right now it delivers one of the greatest Quality Price Ratios in the market, as is the case with so many Spanish wines. Bright berry, firm spice, hot mineral, and a strong streak of acidity make this beautiful wine a must-have at your Thanksgiving meal. $16.99.

Steve Parks, owner of Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). Steve's picks:

2006 Bethel Heights Chardonnay. Straw to light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of wet stones, pears and citrus fruits. Flavors of pears, limes and minerals. Light acidity and body. Crisp and clean on the palate. $26.99.

2006 Pierre Sparr Reserve Gewurztraminer. Light straw color. Rich aroma, lots of the lychee fruit character that's a standard descriptor for Gewurz, with a heady floral backdrop of roses. Unctuous, good acidity; communicates itself to me as rather sweet, but the illusion seems to come from richness, not sugar: Sparr says it contains only 1.3 percent residual sugar. $22.99.

2007 DE-FIN-I-TIVE Pinot Noir. A *DYNAMITE* Pinot Noir for under $20. Deep and dark, aromas of blackberry, subtle earthy aromas waft from the glass before juicy black cherries and a silky feel come across the palate. $18.99.

2006 Page Cellars 3 Doves Merlot. On the nose there are notes of cherry, plum and vanilla. The palate is full of red cherry and plum with touches of chocolate, fig and a hint of smoke. The tannins are soft and the finish is slightly sweet. $19.99.

Matt Snyder, owner of the Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. Matt's picks:

2008 Covington Cellars Viognier, Yakima Valley, WA. Finished in stainless steel tanks. 100% Viognier. Excellent for Thanksgiving due to its versatility. Goes well with turkey and salty gravy. Also very nice with spicy food and seafood. 13% alcohol. $19.99.

2008 Gilbert Cellars Estate Gewürztraminer,  Columbia Valley, WA. Flavors of lychee berry and refreshing acidity. Also good with brunch and is quiche and casserole friendly. $12.4% alcohol. $14.99.

2007 Argyle Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR. 100% Pinot Noir with a nice silky texture. No big tannins. This is double macerated to add excellent layers of flavor. 14% alcohol. $24.99.

2007 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, CA. A mellow Cabernet that is not hot with tannins. Good spiciness at a great price point. 13.5% alcohol. $13.99.

There you have it. Fifteen fantastic suggestions for perfect Thanksgiving pours. Have a great holiday!

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Photo by Adam Baker