The Wandering Wino Blog
Beaujolais Nouveau - Don't Drink The Cool-Aid
Written by shawn on date 17 November 2011 in Don't Drink The Cool-Aid (Beaujolais Nouveau)
(Photo - not the Neauveau, it just an illustration)
Today is a big day. Why? I'm still trying to figure it out. The third Thursday of November marks the date of release of Beaujolais Nouveau. Yay! (Heavy sarcasim)
When it comes to wine, I love all types, and I am a hard core California wine geek. I'm the guy that loves to investigate random wine varietals, and unussual related alcohols. When I leave the State, my inquisitiveness increases, as does my thirst for wine knowledge. I've been reading others' tweets, blogs, and talk about Beaujolais. I've been reading about what sounds to me like one of the biggest marketing scams since Milli Vanili's '80's music, and the pet rock. If you want the history on this wine, there are many imformative posts on this aspect. I instead want to talk about why the heck, do any of us care about a grape, that is produced in my view with no love?
It's simply sent to the (CO2) gas chamber and is fermented inside the grape itself. Imagine if your car needed a paint job because the paint was peeling and flaking. Any body shop will tell you sanding, and body work is needed, prior to the paint. In most of our minds, we simply think I need paint. The body shop knows what needs to happen to make your car look good. Comparitively, winemakers know what's needed, but we all know there are short-cuts to just about anything.
In my view, this wine is like taking your car from the driveway, directly to an Earl Sheibe like paint shop, for a 10 minute spray down.Then driving it home still wet. Is this the paint job we want? I'm thinking, no. I am a BIG believer in drinking what you like, including this juice. Those that like it, power to them. But for the rest of us, is this just an excuse to create a day, to celebrate a drive thru paint job? Don't drink the cool-aid!
One of the wine blogs I read, said that a wine geek will not be caught within 50 feet of a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau. If that is an accurate statement, then why are we all posting an excitment of this wine, that I'll suggest most of us hate?
It's been a long time since I've had the famed young, tannic lacking, Gamay grape juice. I bought a bottle today as part of the hype and didn't want to be excluded from conversing with others. If you are a wine social media person, is this the same reason you made the dive in the glass of this wine? Are we all suckers of marketing? I drink this wine as I write this post, and continue to ask, WHY?
What would the wine Furher (AKA Parker) score this wine? What would you score it? I've heard people say, try this one, or that one is better. Really? Have you had a good Mezcal? If you truely like drinking it, I completely respect it.
If you bought a bottle and are drinking the cool-aid with me, tell me why you bought it? And be honest.
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