Beaujolais Nouveau 2003

[Mark Sommelier]

I was in Lyon on Beaujolais Day, and the DuBoeuf was the one everyone was giving away.

Lucky Dog!!!! How'd you get so fortunate? (by being in Lyon, not specifically drinking the DeBoeuf...)

It was actually flavorful and had body! This is the vintage that will be remembered in Burgundy as the "California" vintage.

As in "very fruit forward and weighty"?

I spent a week divided between Paris, Burgundy and Lyon. Will report more later. Jet lag right now.

[budrichard]

I walked into the wineshop all excited to pick up some BN to drink with dinner tonight. But the kosher BN hasn't arrived yet. DAMN! DAMN! DAMN!

And the guy had nerve to try to sell me a bottle from last year's vintage. I gave him one of those "what, do you think I'm a fucking idiot?" looks and pointed out that it's not exactly nouveau anymore.

Anyway, after calling around, looks like the kosher BN won't hit these shores for a couple more weeks.

I'm not very happy.

Kosher BN? Fill me in as I am really interested in how this came about! -Dick

[bloviatrix]

Kosher BN? Fill me in as I am really interested in how this came about! -Dick

I'm not quite sure I understand your question. There has been kosher BN available for the past 6 or 7 vintages. In past years it's been released the same time as all the other BN. Besides BN, some of the village-specific Beaujolais are available as well such as Morgon.

In general, kosher wine has come a long way. Yes, you can still buy jugs of treacle-y malaga. But there are Shiraz's from Australia, Bordeaux and Burgundy's from France, and Barolo from Italy. Part of the reason for improvement is that people's tastes have become more sophisticated. Plus, there are some wine makers, who have become more observant and wanted to ply there trade in the kosher market.

[Carema]

hey B:

being that I am lazy could you perhaps list some of your favs with importers. I have many jewish customers and always feel as if I am not offering them the creme de la creme.

Thanks c

Not just BN either

Edited November 23, 2003 by Carema (log)

[mighty quinn]

I'm going to buy a bottle today and make sangria w/ some of it.

I make a Mexican style sangria: lemonade & vodka with red wine floated on top.

this sounds good-definitely with vodka-would you add some cranberry juice (sort of seasonal i guess) to give it some more zing?? maybe bn would be good for mulling too. any more thoughts on uses for bn than drinking it straight??

[Craig Camp]

Why spend the premium for BN when any good fruity jug red (or box red) will make a fine sangria??

[robyn]

<<Georges Deboeuf 2003 $7.99>>

I don't drink wine that often - but my husband does. Georges Deboeuf was at Costco yesterday for $6.49. For what it's worth - Costco sells more French wine than any retailer in the US - including a fair amount of high end stuff. Robyn

[Mark Sommelier]

<<Georges Deboeuf 2003 $7.99>>

I don't drink wine that often - but my husband does. Georges Deboeuf was at Costco yesterday for $6.49. For what it's worth - Costco sells more French wine than any retailer in the US - including a fair amount of high end stuff. Robyn

This vintage didn't taste like banana-ade like the last several vintages. It actually had some substance. This is the "California" vintage of Beaujolais. As far as $6.49 a bottle is concerned, this is disturbing. Costco has to buy from the distributor. The distributor marks up the wine from the supplier, who has also marked up the wine.

The bottle costs 75¢, the cork costs 10¢, the label costs 25¢, the capsule 5¢. Working backwards, the distributor paid $4, the supplier paid $2,deduct the $1.15 for the packaging, the wine itself is WORTH PENNIES. A palliative, not a ponderable.

[fresco]

There is something mildly appealing about the ritual around tasting a new, fresh wine, but I do find it odd that happening upon a BN which doesn't taste like soda pop (or worse) is an occasion for rejoicing. So much other drinkable wine out there...

[balex]

I think it is a mistake to think of BN as wine. Just think of it as an alcoholic drink made from grapes that comes in a wine bottle. Then you can appreciate it without being disappointed.

[robyn]

<<This vintage didn't taste like banana-ade like the last several vintages. It actually had some substance. This is the "California" vintage of Beaujolais. As far as $6.49 a bottle is concerned, this is disturbing. Costco has to buy from the distributor. The distributor marks up the wine from the supplier, who has also marked up the wine.

The bottle costs 75¢, the cork costs 10¢, the label costs 25¢, the capsule 5¢. Working backwards, the distributor paid $4, the supplier paid $2,deduct the $1.15 for the packaging, the wine itself is WORTH PENNIES. A palliative, not a ponderable.>>

I don't know how Costco buys. I know it has enough purchasing power to buy directly from the manufacturer - but our liquor distributor lobby in Florida has a lot of clout (and we have the stupid laws to show for it). Robyn

[Jason Perlow]

I'm gonna git me some bo ju lay.

[Carema]

I don't know how Costco buys.  I know it has enough purchasing power to buy directly from the manufacturer - but our liquor distributor lobby in Florida has a lot of clout (and we have the stupid laws to show for it).  Robyn

Costco buys based on profit margin, turnover, deals ( 100 cases on a thousand) and deals made over the phone, fax etc...

There is no-one there spitting wine, thinking- "I could pull in 3 bottles of this, it is obscure but at least some will surely love it in the next three months"

Costco is death for wine.

Like Mcdonald's is death for food. Why can't anyone make this connection? Do I have to co-opt Bourdain?

This does not make sense:

Pampers, tampons, frozen chicken wings feathers attached, wine.

sorry to all the bargain shoppers.

Is it truly a bargain?

Purchasing power means nothing when unearthing treaures that fall under the "5000 case or under radar"

Let the castigation begin!

[fresco]

Costco isn't allowed to sell wine anywhere in Canada, but I keep reading rave reviews about their selection and pricing in the US and it makes me wish they could sell here. Stuff like this story, which alludes to Costco's top wine guy, eight regional buyers, frequent educational trips, and pitching their products to an informed, affluent group of customers:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/94297_wine06.shtml

[robyn]

<<Costco is death for wine.>>

I disagree. Whenever I want to buy a small trendy boutique wine - I can't (e.g., my husband and I were in BC last year - and when we tried to buy some of the wines we had there - everyone laughed - those wines don't get out of BC - except perhaps a botttle at a time from a few wine stores).

What we find at our Costco here is far from garbage - there are a lot of medium (and higher) priced wines that are very good. On the other hand - our local liquor stores will usually match Costco prices. So we'll buy at the local liquor stores - or Costco - depending on where we happen to be driving on any given day.

The biggest hassle in terms of getting a better selection of wines here is the stranglehold that the state distributors have on the market (if I want to buy wine on line - I can - but I will pay $21 extra for 3 bottles to the wine distribution monopoly for the privilege of buying). Robyn

[bloviatrix]

It's two weeks later, and the kosher BN is finally in the stores. It cost $8.99, which is probably one dollar more than last year. They also had the Golan Winery Gamay Nouveau, which Andre mentioned above. Nice label, but I wanted the real thing, dammit.

I post my thoughts over the weekend.

Edited December 5, 2003 by bloviatrix (log)

[bloviatrix]

Last night we broke out the bottle of BN. It smelled of red berries - strawberry in particular and cherries.

Initial tastes were solely of alcohol. Blovie and I couldn't discern any flavors at all. It just burned. After about 20 minutes or so most of the alcohol blew over and I got the expected sweet berry taste. I have to admit I wasn't thrilled with it and Blovie actually dumped the contents of his glass.

[Mark Sommelier]

This year it actually tasted like wine. The previous several years the wine distinctly smelled like bananas. It is an augur for the 2003 vintage. You heard it here!!