Beaujolais Nouveau is traditionally the first wine of a vintage to hit the market. Well, it's that time of year again: the 2009s debut Thursday (November 19) in a celebration of all that is fresh and fruity in the wine world.
Of course, every store with a liquor license will have bottles of Nouveau stacked by the front door. Mass produced Nouveaus are one of the scandals of the wine business: pale, indistinct wines marketed to capitalize on the French wine's traditional end-of-harvest festival. There is decent Beaujolais Nouveau, and three wine shops in town are hosting tastings so you can find one you like the very first day it's available.
The Wine Rack on Frankfort Avenue will have two different Nouveaux open from 5 to 8 PM Thursday.
Whole Foods (4944 Shelbyville Road)will sample Nouveau from 5 to 7 PM.
Westport Whiskey & Wine will feature a Nouveau in its regularly scheduled (6:30 - 8:30) Open Bottle Thursday tasting, which also includes wines from Starry Night Winery.
Tom Johnson writes LouisvilleJuice.com, where he recently referred to Beaujolais Nouveau as a harbinger of doom.
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Tom Johnson