Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2006 Price: 9.99
Grade: B+
The Beaujolais region lies between the more famous French regions of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley. In Beaujolais, the Gamay grape is used in 98 percent of the wine, with the other, barely seen 1 percent being Chardonnay. Beaujolais is made from a special method called carbonic maceration in which grapes are harvested from the vines and placed under a tent of carbon dioxide. This technique facilitates a small amount of fermentation in which color is extracted without astringent tannins (identified by a burning sensation) from the skins. Usually, red wine gets its color from having been soaked in red grape skins for a few days. Beaujolais's deep ruby color would lead many to think it is a full-bodied wine when, because of carbonic maceration, it is very light.
Beaujolais has a simple hierarchy of quality. Plain old Beaujolais is hardly found in the United States. The middle designation, called Beaujolais-Villages, in contrast, is available in most wine and grocery stores. Beaujolais-Villages is made from mixing grapes from any number of 39 villages in the southern part of the region. The top designation, Beaujolais Cru, is also widely available and retails for about $15 to $20. Most of the time, Beaujolais Cru is identified by one of the 10 villages or areas that make the cru designation. Fleurie, Brouilly and Moulin a Vent are the most popular of these villages. A fourth designation, Beaujolais Nouveau, is released extremely early as a way of testing the previous year's vintage. Beaujolais Noveau is an easy drinking, cheap wine, but it is almost never a quality wine.
The two most popular companies for Beaujolais are Georges Duboeuf and Louis Jadot, which both retail for around $8 to $10. In my opinion, Georges Duboeuf is the better choice. The nose and palate display notes of raspberry, cherry, nutmeg, cinnamon and even bubblegum. The nutmeg, cinnamon and bubblegum tastes are the signature result of carbonic maceration. You can always pick out Beaujolais based on these characteristics.
Beaujolais has a reputation for being a sipping wine, as it is usually light-bodied and fruity. You should serve it slightly chilled. Beaujolais is perfect for sitting outside on a summer night chatting with friends and sampling mild cheeses. Its light body and sweet flavors make it a good choice for people who don't normally drink wine. Still, Beaujolais is a signature region in the world of wine.
Jeff's column runs biweekly Wednesdays. He can be reached at jkatra@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
Khul Ke Nacho — a celebration of free-spirited dancing
By Malaika Rehman | 11 hours agoThe sea of attendees wearing desi attire and dancing joyfully throughout the night was a reflection of the thriving Pakistani community in and outside of PSA.
Holding onto every grain in the hourglass
By Mai Hukuoka | YesterdayNow that I’m back at school, I have made it my mission to take note of the sneaky passage of time.
Students brave the cold for a whirlwind sorority rush
By Mia Tan | 3 days agoStudents recount a mix of emotions from rush, with some disappointed after dropping from the recruitment process and others ecstatic to join Greek life.
