NY Times on Beaujolais

[Florida Jim]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/03/dining/0...r=1&oref=slogin

[Walter Moar]

Eric Asimov has a recent article about the Mysteries of Beaujolais:

http://thepour.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/0...s-of-beaujolais

[budrichard]

Many, many years ago Beaujolais was a good relatively inexpensive wine. I remember purchasing cases of it at Zimmerman's for $12/case. We also drank many of the higher priced ones.

Then as one of the articles points, out the Nouveau craze hit and the wine was thin and insipid. It took a few years but our taste for Beaujolais was dead. Coupled with the price increase for other Beaujolais, I haven't purchased any for at least 10 years. Every once in a while I would purchase a bottle of Nouveau and the wine just got worse.

With the supply of good wine from all over the world at decent prices, I seriously doubt I could ever be convinced to purchase anymore.-Dick

[Florida Jim]

With the supply of good wine from all over the world at decent prices, I seriously doubt I could ever be convinced to purchase anymore.-Dick

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Dick,

Considering your history with the wine, I understand your sentiment. Nonetheless, I can assure that you are, in fact, missing something. Right now, I have more Beaujolais in my cellar than any other wine and will continue to purchase it, in quantity, in the coming years.

It may have been an unbelievable value back then; it is still terrific QPR today.

Best, Jim

[Miami Danny]

Have to agree that Beaujolais is a steal right now. Of course the Times adds to the confusion and misunderstandings about nouveau/not nouveau by writing about beaujolais right before the nouveau is released! A 2005 Brouilly ($13) I opened the other day is still fragrant (violets and strawberries-really), and tastes nice a little chilled as an aperitif. I definitely recommend cold storage, though. For some reason, maybe the ones cited in the Times, a little warmth will kill it.

[Craig Camp]

Many, many years ago Beaujolais was a good relatively inexpensive wine. I remember purchasing cases of it at Zimmerman's for $12/case. We also drank many of the higher priced ones.

Then as one of the articles points, out the Nouveau craze hit and the wine was thin and insipid. It took a few years but our taste for Beaujolais was dead. Coupled with the price increase for other Beaujolais, I haven't purchased any for at least 10 years. Every once in a while I would purchase a bottle of Nouveau and the wine just got worse.

With the supply of good wine from all over the world at decent prices, I seriously doubt I could ever be convinced to purchase anymore.-Dick

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Dick,

If you stop buying all products that cost more than they did thirty years ago life could get complicated.

I find small producer Beaujolais the best QPR out there and Beaujolais from great producers like Brun are my go-to wines. I almost have trouble picking out wine from somewhere else when I come home for dinner. The pleasure factor is just so high on these wines as they combine grace with complexity. You would be also hard pressed to find food they don't match well with.

I too probably have not purchased a Nouveau in ten or more years, but that wine has little to do with the Beaujolais that Jim and The New York Times are talking about.

One of the things I love most about Cru Beaujolais is that it has the balance and nuance that you used to find in pinot noir and it costs less than $30 a bottle.

[budrichard]

I have no doubt that somewhere there exists some good Cru Beaujolais, but outside of the Noveau, the prices I see are just not worth the type of wine Beaulolais is.

Certainly starting to enjoy wine in 1960's and starting collecting in the 1970's has caused my price point to be rooted in the past, but I still purchase Bordeaux futures, cases of Champagne and the odd case or two of both red and white Burgundy, so I will pay the price, if i percieve the value.

I just don't percieve the value.-Dick

[Florida Jim]

I have no doubt that somewhere there exists some good Cru Beaujolais, but outside of the Noveau, the prices I see are just not worth the type of wine Beaulolais is.

Certainly starting to enjoy wine in 1960's and starting collecting in the 1970's has caused my price point to be rooted in the past, but I still purchase Bordeaux futures, cases of Champagne and the odd case or two of both red and white Burgundy, so I will pay the price, if i percieve the value.

I just don't percieve the value.-Dick

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Fair enough.

My offer to you:

If you are ever travelling to the Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL, area or the western mountains of NC, I will be happy to open a selection of cru Beaujolais in your honor in hopes that you will, indeed, perceive the value.

Just drop me a note in advance.

Best, Jim

[Craig Camp]

I have no doubt that somewhere there exists some good Cru Beaujolais, but outside of the Noveau, the prices I see are just not worth the type of wine Beaulolais is.

Certainly starting to enjoy wine in 1960's and starting collecting in the 1970's has caused my price point to be rooted in the past, but I still purchase Bordeaux futures, cases of Champagne and the odd case or two of both red and white Burgundy, so I will pay the price, if i percieve the value.

I just don't percieve the value.-Dick

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What "type" of wine do you think Beaujolais is? All wine regions, including the Bordeaux you still buy, produce 90+% commercial plonk and Beaujolais is no different. Why do you choose to define Beaujolais by the lowest common denominator and Bordeaux by the highest?

[budrichard]

I don't purchase commercial plonk as you refer to it and am not sure exactly what the term means except that it sounds derogatory. Please don't bother with a lengthy explanation either.

I don't like to be dissapointed. Most of my Bordeux purchases, some classified, some not, have not dissapointed me. Same for Burgundy, red and white. All my Beaujolais purchases for the past 15 years or so have been dissapointing. I used to look forward to a Beaujolais as a change of pace but no longer. My perception, whether you agree or not, is that the region has been trading on past glories. Continuing to purchase Beaujolais and be dissapointed is not my way of doing things.

Jim, peruse the Sams Beaujolais selection for me please http://www.samswine.com and select a Beaujolais of the year and vintner you have had. Let me know and I will try a bottle. I will let you know my opinion.

Just looked at the Sam's selection on line and its not much! Oh well, give me some names and i will see if any available in the Midwest.-Dick

Edited October 12, 2007 by budrichard (log)

[Craig Camp]

I don't purchase commercial plonk as you refer to it and am not sure exactly what the term means except that it sounds derogatory. Please don't bother with a lengthy explanation either.

I don't like to be dissapointed. Most of my Bordeux purchases, some classified, some not, have not dissapointed me. Same for Burgundy, red and white. All my Beaujolais purchases for the past 15 years or so have been dissapointing. I used to look forward to a Beaujolais as a change of pace but no longer. My perception, whether you agree or not, is that the region has been trading on past glories. Continuing to purchase Beaujolais and be dissapointed is not my way of doing things.

Jim, peruse the Sams Beaujolais selection for me please http://www.samswine.com and select a Beaujolais of the year and vintner you have had. Let me know and I will try a bottle. I will let you know my opinion.

Just looked at the Sam's selection on line and its not much! Oh well, give me some names and i will see if any available in the Midwest.-Dick

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Frankly I think the wines are better than ever.

By commercial plonk I mean that most of the wine produced in all regions is of basic commercial quality. Is that short enough?

[Florida Jim]

Jim, peruse the Sams Beaujolais selection for me please http://www.samswine.com and select a Beaujolais of the year and vintner you have had. Let me know and I will try a bottle. I will let you know my opinion.

Just looked at the Sam's selection on line and its not much! Oh well, give me some names and i will see if any available in the Midwest.-Dick

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Yep, Sam's is a washout.

Anything from Domaine Vissoux from the 2005 vintage.

Wine Searcher does not show any in the midwest but its easily available my mail order from NYC or Cal.

And the offer still stands.

Best, Jim