Feature Article
 What's
Up With Beaujolais?
Seems like a wine lover can barely turn around in November without bumping
into Beaujolais. It’s on everybody’s lips, one way or another. The Wall
Street Journal calls Beaujolais “the very best wine for Fall.” The
Chicago Tribune notes its particular suitability for the
“bird-of-the-month” and the family gatherings that go hand in hand with
Thanksgiving. Most every wine retailer worth their chardonnay (and we’re
no exception) is planning an event to celebrate the New Year’s Day of the
wine world: the arrival of 2004’s Beaujolais Nouveau, the first wine of
the new harvest.
It’s a lot of commotion
for a medium-bodied, fruity red with a breezy personality and operating
instructions that generally read “Drink now.” Bordeaux, we suspect, is
insanely jealous. So what’s up with Beaujolais?
First of all, it’s
important to differentiate between Beaujolais and Beaujolais Nouveau, or
Beaujolais Primeur as it’s sometimes called. While both originate in the
Gamay grape vineyards of Beaujolais, in southern Burgundy, Beaujolais
Nouveau is the first product of the 2004 harvest to hit the market, an
infant wine barely two months removed from the vine. Its arrival each year
on the third Thursday of November is widely celebrated, more for what it
represents than for the wine itself. Even in the best vintage, a two-month
old wine will likely have lost its charm by February. But as the flagship
wine of the new vintage, it’s a great excuse for a press release, and a
party.
The “other” Beaujolais
wines, while blessed with a depth of character that a Nouveau could only
wish for, receive no such fanfare upon their release. But these wines,
particularly the 2003 vintage, are the real standouts of the Fall season.
Labeled (in order of ascending quality) Beaujolais, Beaujolais Superieure,
Beaujolais Villages and, finally, the named cru Villages, they are
bright, fruity and congenial, well-suited to casual quaffing, if not
lengthy cellaring. And, they’re generally inexpensive. Perfect party
wines.
But how, you wonder,
did Beaujolais come to be the November Poster Wine? Why not Burgundy, or
Chianti? It’s a public relations coup extraordinaire, and it’s
largely attributable to the efforts of one man: Georges DuBoeuf, the
benevolent despot of Beaujolais.
DuBoeuf has become
synonymous with Beaujolais in America and around the world. His
distinctive “flower bottles” dominate the market, and his charisma,
ambition and vision have kept his wines and, to a great extent, the
region, in the spotlight through thick years and thin.
Born to a poor farming
family in the village of Chaintré, France, Georges left school at 16 to
work the family’s tiny vineyard. At 18, tired of being exploited by
unscrupulous negociants offering rock-bottom prices for his family’s
wines, he set out on his bicycle to market his product himself. His first
sale was to a local restaurateur, Paul Blanc of Au Chapon Fin, who bought
his Pouilly-Fuissé and encouraged him to expand his offerings.
Georges and his bicycle
became a fixture in the region. Having aspired to the Tour de France at
one time, he was a tireless cyclist, and he was on a mission. He scoured
the countryside seeking wines to suit the tastes of his new patron, and
before long other restaurants began inquiring as to the source of Chef
Blanc’s wonderful wines.
As his negociant
business grew, DuBoeuf acquired more sophisticated transportation, but he
retained control of his wine production. From the very beginning he has
personally selected the grapes for purchase and supervised their
vinification and bottling, always on his home turf of Beaujolais. He
introduced temperature control, stainless steel and early bottling into
the production of his wines, perfecting the fresh, fruity style that has
become his hallmark, and marketing it relentlessly.
His standards are high,
and he is well-respected, even revered, for his keen nose, marketing
savvy, and a willingness to work twice as hard as anyone else. He designed
the very first “flower bottle” label, and continues to commission original
artwork for each year’s Beaujolais Nouveau posters. It is because of
Georges that, when the world thinks Beaujolais, they spell it DuBoeuf.
The latest chapter in
the DuBoeuf history debuted just last year, in the form of a
state-of-the-art winery wholly owned by the DuBoeuf family. After 37 years
of buying and bottling wines from local growers and producers, DuBoeuf
decided that stricter quality control was needed in some instances, so he
built a winery to ensure that his exacting standards were being met. It
was an ambitious move, and a huge investment, but it fits squarely with
DuBoeuf’s history, a logical next step for a man who, at 74, seems hardly
ready to sit back and rest on his laurels.
back
to top) |
Store Location
We are located in downtown Lisle at the southwest corner of Burlington
Ave. & Main St.
Extra parking is available behind our building.
Hours of Operation
Mon - Sat 10 am - 8 pm
Holiday Hours:
From Nov 7 - Dec 19,
we'll also be open
Sundays 1-5.
Friday, Dec 24: 10 am - 5 pm
Saturday, Dec 25: Closed.
Sunday, Dec 26: Closed.
(back to top)
About
Our Mailing List
The mailing list for this newsletter was gleaned from the personal email
archives of Wine Expressions' owners and from direct requests received
from our customers.
We hope you enjoy the newsletter and decide to remain on our distribution
list. You are welcome to pass this newsletter along to a friend, or
click
unsubscribe
to be removed from our lists.
By the way, we never share your email or address information with anyone
else.
(back to top)
Holiday Shopping Tips
Be sure and include Wine Expressions on your holiday shopping list!
We have a great selection of elegant gift boxes that are sure to please,
featuring our fine wines, micro-brew beers, cognac and single-malt
scotch.
See our website
for a complete list of our standard gift boxes. You can also
design your own custom gift.
Wine club memberships are another great gift idea, and a fantastic
way to learn about and experience new wines every month.
|
Schedule
of Events
Prairie Sampling:
Friday, Nov 19
4 - 6:30 pm &
Saturday, Nov 20 1 - 6:30 pm: Wines for Thanksgiving
Friday, Nov 26
4 - 6:30 pm &
Saturday, Nov 27 1 - 6:30 pm: Christmas Ales
Friday, December
3: Special Port Tasting
Saturday, Dec 4
1 - 6:30 pm: Napa Valley Treasures
Friday, Dec 10
4 - 6:30 pm &
Saturday, Dec 11 1 - 6:30 pm: California Surprises
Friday, Dec 17
4 - 6:30 pm &
Saturday, Dec 18 1 - 6:30 pm: Wines for the Holidays
Friday, Dec 24:
No tasting; store will close at 5 pm.
Saturday, Dec 25:
No tasting; store will be closed.
(back to top)
|
Special Port Tasting
On Friday,
December 3, we'll host two flights of fine port wine tastings.
This is a great opportunity to learn more about port wines, and taste
several outstanding samples.
The tasting will be run by David Biegemann and Kathy Brown of Judge &
Dolph. The evening will include educational materials, snacks and of
course, the wines!
Cost is $30, and advance reservations are required. Call today to
reserve your spot at this unique and high value event! The flights
will start at 5:30 and 7 pm.
|
|
Tuesday, Nov 30: Holiday
Samplers at The View restaurant in Lisle. A tasting of 6 - 7 wines,
paired with food. Cost is $20 per person. Call The View to
register, 968-1920. Starts at 7 pm.
Tuesday, Dec 28: Holiday
Sparklers at The View restaurant in Lisle. Cost is $20 per person.
Call The View to register, 968-1920. 7 pm.
Ladies Night Out: December 6
Get into the holiday spirit with this event, where we'll be tasting
"Santa's Favorite Wines." Learn about and experience different types
of wines that are great with traditional holiday foods. The evening includes a tasting of seven wines with
gourmet hors d'oeuvres from The Upper Crust bakery in Lisle. Cost is
$25
per person, and the deadline to register is Thursday, December 2.
Ladies Night Out:
Monday, December 6, 7:30 pm
$25 per person
Call for Reservations: 630.435.9463
or 888.656.9463
(back to top)
|
Sake & Sushi Evening
Mark your
calendars now for Thursday, December 16th. We'll be presenting
another tasting of premium sake wines, paired with different types of
sushi.
More details will be forthcoming in a future newsletter, and on our
website.
|
