All the usual red wine rules go out the door with nouveau. It should be served lightly chilled, and it should be drunk young. Very young. Even Franck Duboeuf, son of Beaujolais bigwig Georges Duboeuf, gives it six months on the outside: \"I like to drink Beaujolais nouveau in its youth.\" Keep that in mind before you start ordering cases.
If you want nouveau immediately, I recommend you buy just a few bottles now, and pick up more after Dec. 1, when the price should drop by about $2.
Or follow the strategy of Michael Aaron of New York's Sherry-Lehmann wine merchants, who likes to drink Beaujolais all along the price curve. He mixes the nouveau with cru Beaujolais from previous years, and shuffles between them through Thanksgiving and into February: \"It's having a renaissance again. I think people are looking for more relaxed wines, with all the stress that's going on.\"
The 2004 nouveau wasn't available to taste, but the 2003 was well above average -- no surprise, since '03 was considered one of the best vintages in recent memory. The Duboeufs are bullish on the '04 as well, with promises of red currants and raspberries on the tongue.
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wines_tasting[i++] = new Array("","","The Duboeuf 2003 Beaujolais-Villages ($9) is a special treat, too, and if you find some left in the store, it's worth trying as an example of what can go right with Beaujolais. The fruit flavors are crisp and simple, but it has a long finish that surpasses the usual.
The Duboeuf 2002s are muted by comparison. The '02 Beaujolais-Villages ($10) has some simple, tart berry and balance. It finishes clean, if a bit thin and vinegary. \"Sangria wine,\" said one of my tasters.","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); wines_tasting[i++] = new Array("","","When it comes to cru Beaujolais, Duboeuf offers something from each of the 10 crus. The 2002 Julienas ($10) offers a bit more depth than the Villages. It's a bit dusky, with some strawberry and just enough acid. Cheeky tannins take over after a short while. My tasters were split as to whether it was strong enough to hold its own against pizza.","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); wines_tasting[i++] = new Array("","","Moulin-a-Vent is known as the most age-worthy of the crus, though a conversation with your wine merchant is in order before you buy. The Diochon 2001 ($16) we tried had a big, promising nose, but its fruit was muted and a bit clunky. Age, sadly, had not helped.","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); wines_tasting[i++] = new Array("","","The fave was a Chateau de Pierreux 2003 Brouilly ($16-17), from a newly revived estate controlled by France's Boisset family. Brouilly often turns out excellent Beaujolais, thanks in part to the steep terrain and proximity to the popular Macon region. It was full of fecund strawberry and spice. I found it still young, and it can supposedly age for 3-4 years. \"Best of the pack,\" said one taster. ","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data