Beaujolais Nouveau, 1990

This is what the vineyards will look like in November, with all the grapes harvested except for some stragglers.  All the grapes are in the barrels, fulfilling the destiny of the region.

 This is the cellar of a friend of the Longefay family, where we did some barrel tastings of previous vintages....

 ...quite happily!

 Nathalie Longefay(at that time!) Fraisse and Jeanne Murphy at a cellar of a friend of the family near St. Lager, one of the villages in the Beaujolais region where they produce Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly.  

Some facts about the wine:  Brouilly

• Brouilly is the largest wine area in Beaujolais. It covers about 20% of the Beaujolais wine region.
• Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly are two different crus.
• Cotes de Brouilly grow in the slopes of the hill. Brouilly grow at the bottom.
• Brouilly wine is fruity and full of flavor. Wine makers can add other grapes than Gamay into the wine such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Aligoté and Melon, up to 15%.
• Cote de Brouilly is robust and elegant. The wine is more concentrated as the grapes get more sun than the ones at the bottom of the hill.
• Brouilly is better when drink young while Cote de Brouilly should mature 4 or 5 years before tasting.

Chateau de la Chaize is the largest producer o f Brouilly in the region.

 

 

 

 Nathalie took us to Chateau de la Chaize where her friend's son worked at the vineyard and we got the grand tour of the palatial estate. The cellar was enormous and the winemaker poured us the tasting surrounded by the barrels.

 and barrels and barrels!

Chateau de la Chaize doesn't make the Nouveau though, just the Crus.  To experience the Nouveau party we went to her cousin Louis Tete's winery where a party was in progress with live music, the typical charcuterie of the region, and cheeses.

Michel Fraisse and I point out the name of the winery outside the cellar door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We did not call Michel "The Troublemaker" for nothing!

 

  

 

When the trucks left at midnight all the revelers went out into the street to cheer them as they roared out of town with a police escort. Thru the weekend the partying continued, in the cellar, in the bars and even on the street!

The Beaujolais Nouveau isn't the best wine of the Beaujolais region (no! the crus Beaujolais are that!) but it is a Cause Celebre and a great reason to have a party!