Happy Beaujolais! 2011 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages

Today is a big day in France. The third Thursday of November is the day that each year’s Beaujolais Nouveau is cracked open and tasted for the first time.  The wine is literally just months old, but the event is used to get a sense of the vintage as well as sell and market lots of wine. The event gains momentum and marketing hype every year.

Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of Beaujolais Nouveau. I do, however, love Beaujolais in general. From cheap Beaujolais-Villages to higher end village and vineyard specific wines, gamay is a tasty grape that can make some very interesting and complex wines.

Take tonight’s wine, a simple 2011 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages. For around $10, you are getting an extremely easy drinking bottle of red, light in body, lower in alcohol, with lovely fresh fruit, in particular, strawberry and raspberry. Little to no oak means it pairs well with just about anything you want to eat, and it drinks best with just a little bit of chill on it. Tasty and refreshing, my husband and I easily cleaned up the bottle with dinner. It’s perfect for picnics, parties, or anytime you want a pleasant drink to enjoy without thinking too much about it.