It’s Beaujolais Nouveau time again!  The third Thursday of every November is the official release date of this very fruity Gamay wine of the same year.  Beaujolais is located in the Burgundy region of France. It is a very easy drining, fresh wine with very little tannins.

How they make the wine so fresh is through carbonic maceration where most of the juice ferments while it is still inside the grape.  When the juice is finally extracted it has very little contact with the skin therefore make the wine less tannic.  Which also means this is a “drink now” wine…without tannins, this wine will not age.  Italy is also jumping on the bandwagon and are starting to make some great Beaujolais Nouveau as well. 

Here are my personal picks:

2007 Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, Georges Duboeuf $15.95 (personal favorite)

2007 Novio Vino Novello, Italy $9.95 (LCBO recommended..can’t wait to try)

2007 Mommessin Beaujolais Nouveau $13.25

2007 Cantina di Negrar IGT Novello del Vento, Italy $9.45 (has a lion on the label)

Have a great “Beaujolais” weekend!

This is a very exciting Vintages release here in Ontario.  Lots of great wines; white, reds and spirits, especially if you are into Grappa.  Here are a few of my choices:

Tawse Winery – They have released their Echos White and Red, Riesling and Cabernet Franc all of which are true gems.   This amazing boutique winery in Niagara is situated on the Beamsville Bench and I can guarantee you these wines will sell out fast.2005 J.Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon – They have released both there 750 ml and 1.5L at $19.95 and $39.95 respectively.  I’ll be picking up a few of their 1.5L bottles for Christmas gifts and parties this season.   2004 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon – It’s not the Insignia but it’s pretty darn close.  Either blow the budget on the 1.5L at $149.95 or try out the half bottle (375 ml) for $39.95.Australia – If you are an Aussie fan, I would try the 2006 Two Hands Gnarly Dudes from the Barossa Valley.  Very consistent producer who makes wine from very ripe fruit with great structure.   If you are Robert Parker fan, he gave the Kilikanoon The Lacey Shiraz 2005, 90 points, and at $17.95 this is real bargain.   He also gave Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2006 96 points and it is only $44.95.Italy – My go-to wine is none other than Sa’ Solin Ripasso Della Valpolicella 2004, $15.95.  This wine gets released every couple of months and I always pick up a few bottles.  I love pairing this wine with pizza and spaghetti with meatballs, it also holds up nicely with some hard cheeses too.  My splurge here would be the 2003 Antinori Solaia but at $149.95 if you are not going to lay this one down for a few years, then definitely save your money!  For Grappa, have a look at the Antinori Tignanello Grappa for $82.95 that is distilled from the left over grapes used for the Tignanello!France – If you like unoaked Chardonnay try William Fevre Chablis Montmains 2005, $32.95.  This is a premier cru Chablis and William Fevre is an excellent producer.  For reds, I would suggest the Maison Champy Bourgogne Signature Pinot Noir 2000 that drinks like a New World wine with lots of berry fruit and it’s only $18.95.Unique and Interesting – Definitely the R. Lopez De Heredia Vina Bosconia Reserva 2000, $34.95.  This wine from Rioja made from primarily Tempranillo grapes is aged in oak barrels for 36 months then 3-5 years in the bottle before it is released.  Can’t wait to see how this one is drinking.   Also curious in trying the Chateau De Candale 2000 from the Haut-Medoc in Bordeaux.   For $35.95 for a 7 year old Bordeaux that apparently “rivals many much pricier Bordeauxs”, the only way to know for sure it to try it yourself. Happy drinking this weekend!

If you’ve been keeping up with the advice given in Wine Cellar 101  and you now have so much wine that it is overflowing on your kitchen table or counter.   So, where do you store all this wine?  There are many choices:College Student Budget – IKEA shopping trip!   IKEA sell great build-it-yourself shelving for wine in their Warehouse section of the store.  In my local IKEA, the shelving is located just outside the Marketplace section.  And, yes, the shelving will fit in the smallest of cars…well maybe not a Mini  or a Smart car. 

Late Twenty-Something Budget – Wine fridge!  They come in various sizes and prices to match.  I started out with a Haier wine fridge that I bought at Costco some years back.  It hold about 70 bottles, is temperate-controlled and isn’t overly tall.  This baby will fit into any minivan or truck too so you can bring it home with you.  Home Depot even sells two wine fridges or coolers by Danby.  Sub-Zero also has a great selection as well but tend to be on the pricey side for what you are getting.

Thirty-Something Budget – Check out Rosehill Cellars  collection of 250 – 500+ wine fridges.  And yes, they will deliver it to you.  They are quite huge so if you live in a 800 sq. foot condo, it’s going to take up quite a bit of space.    Forty Plus – The Wine Establishment  and Rosehill Cellars in Toronto do custom wine cellars that are quite stunning.  If you’ve got the space this is definitely worth checking out.  If any of these choices are not suitable to you, just remember to keep the wine stored in a dark, cool room or basement with a consistent temperature.  If the wine is being stored in your basement, make sure it is far away from the washer and dryer, as wine does not like vibration or the heat that these machines will give off.   Think of it as a sleeping guest and when you wake it up 10 or 20 years from now, if given the proper rest in the most ideal conditions, it will end of being the guest of honour.

The most common comment I hear from someone that tells me they want to start a wine cellar is “I drink my wine too fast for it to last.”  Building a wine cellar does take discipline…think of it as saving for retirement.  Here are a couple of tips to get you on your way:-         When you go to a wine store or visit a winery buy two bottles – one to drink now and put one bottle away in a safe spot. -         When you have people over for a party, make sure you have more than enough wine for your party and your good stuff is hidden.  I’ve been to many a party where it is the wee hours of the morning and there is nothing left but someone’s $100 bottle of Silver Oak that ends up getting opened without thought or appreciation for the wine.  Unless you really want to drink it, of course -         Splitting a case of wine with family or friends – Most people shy away from buying a case of wine because of the cost involved in buying so much wine at once and it is only ONE wine.  Join a wine club or get a group of friends to split a case where you share your interesting wine purchase.  You can share a case with 2, 3, 4 or more people! Stay tuned for a future post on how and where to store your wine.