Beaujolais Nouveau is the name given to Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages wines that are released almost immediately after the harvest. Perhaps the most famous expression of the Gamay Grape, these light, Fruity reds are usually the first of the year's harvest in France, and are released each year with great fanfare internationally. For centuries, simple wines made from freshly harvested grapes have quenched the thirst of Vineyard workers at the end of the harvest in Beaujolais, but traditionally they were only distributed locally. Interest in the style spread following the reform of appellation law at the end of the Second World War and by the 1960s the first Beaujolais wines were widely sold throughout France as soon as they were released, often with the announcement "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! Beaujolais producers saw the marketing opportunities in being the first wine of the harvest and a "race" to get the first bottle of wine to Paris was set up by some of the biggest names, promoting the Nouveau style and attracting international interest.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Beaujolais Nouveau became a worldwide phenomenon, with a particular following in the United States, Japan and Germany. By law, sales of this wine are limited until one minute after midnight on the third Thursday in November. Beaujolais Nouveau wines can be red or rosé (the term does not apply to white Beaujolais wines) and are mainly made from the Gamay grape. They are Bright purplish red in colour and have an Aroma often compared to candied cherries, red plums, bananas and even bubblegum.
Tannat is a red grape variety from Béarn which belongs to the cotoïdes family. Present in several vineyards of France, it occupies nearly 3,000 ha. Its leaves are reddish with tan patches. Its bunches are either of normal size or larger. Its berries have a thin skin and are rounded. Its foliage has a swarthy appearance. This variety must be pruned long because it is vigorous. It likes sandy and gravelly soils. Tannat is often exposed to leafhoppers and mites. It is also somewhat susceptible to grey rot. It has 11 approved clones, including 474, 717 and 794. Once mature, this variety produces acidic, fruity, tannic, acidic and full-bodied wines. Various aromas emerge, notably tobacco, cinnamon and exotic wood. Tannat is rarely used alone. It is combined with iron-servadou to obtain a fruitier taste or with cabernet sauvignon to be more rounded.
wines from the region of Beaujolais Nouveau go well with generally quite well with dishes of pasta, veal or pork such as recipes of the corsican soup, oriental stuffed vegetables or boeuf en daube.
On the nose in the region of Beaujolais Nouveau often reveals types of flavors of red fruit. In the mouth in the region of Beaujolais Nouveau is a with a nice freshness.
