A special occasion celebrated in France is Beaujolais Nouveau Day. This occasion is celebrated on the third Thursday of November each year. On this day, wine lovers from around the world rush to France to have a taste of the Beaujolais Nouveau offered for the year.
What is Beaujolais Nouveau?
To begin, there is a region in France named Beaujolais. In this region, a purple-colored variety of grapes known as Gamay is grown. From these grapes are produced the most popular red wine, called Beaujolais Nouveau.
Beaujolais Nouveau is a nouveaux wine (also known as vin de primeur). A nouveux wine is a French wine granted certification under the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (controlled term of origin) to be released and marketed in the same year the grapes it's made from are harvested. Beaujolais Nouveau is released and sold on the third Thursday of November, which is usually only a few weeks from the time the grapes were harvested. Thus, the day is referred to as Beaujolais Nouveau Day.
Nouveaux wines are distinctively paler in color. This is because of the very short time of maceration and fermentation the products go through. The wines are fruity, light bodied, and may contain some residual sugar.
Besides Beaujolais Nouveau, there are other equally famous nouveux wines. Depending on regulations (which region in France a wine is produced), a nouveaux wine may be red, rose, or white. Below are some of the most famous nouveux wines of France:
1. Anjou wine - White wine produced in the Loire Valley region.
2. Burgundy wine - Red or white wine produced in the Burgundy region. Red Burgundy wines are made from Pinot Noir grapes, while the white ones are from Chardonnay grapes.
3. Côtes de Bourg wine - White wine produced in the Bordeaux region.
4. Muscadet wine - White wine produced in the Pays de la Loire region.
5. Saumur wine - White or red wine produced in the Loire Valley region. White Saumur wines are made from Chenin Blanc grapes, while the red ones are from Cabernet Franc grapes.
6. Tavel wine - Rose wine produced in the region of Rhône. It is made from either the Cinsault or Grenache grape varieties.
7. Corbières wine - Rose or white wine produced in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
8. Minervois wine - Red wine made from Carignan grapes grown in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
9. Bergerac wine - Red, rose, or white wine produced in southwest France.
10. Jurançon wine - White wine made from Courbu, Petit Manseng, or Gros Manseng grapes grown in southwest France.
11. Gaillac wine - Red, rose, or white wine produced in southwest France.
12. Côtes du Ventoux wine - Red, rose, or white wine produced in the region of Rhône. Red and rose Côtes du Ventoux wines are made from Cinsault, Carignan, Mourvèdre, or Syrah grapes. White Côtes du Ventoux wines are made from Bourboulenc, Clairette, or Grenache Blanc grapes.
Again because of the short processing time Beaujolais Nouveau and the other nouveaux wines go through, it is very likely that these were not exposed to any oak before their release to the market. Labels of all nouveaux wines need to show the words "nouveau" or "primeur" as per regulations.
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