Lounge
April 28, 2015
Series | Paris, Here and There 002 Beaujolais Nouveau
Chapter 002
Rue Paul Bert & Place d'Aligre
Tasting on Beaujolais Nouveau Release Day
This second installment of our series is about Beaujolais Nouveau. The name Beaujolais Nouveau is famous, but do you know what kind of wine it is? It's a new wine made from Gamay grapes in the Beaujolais region, primarily intended to check the quality of the year's grape harvest. There are four types: Beaujolais (regional name), Beaujolais Supérieur (district name), Beaujolais-Villages (village name), and Cru Beaujolais (vineyard name). Every November, when the season arrives, Paris buzzes with tasting events. This time, we'll share a little trip to Paris for a Beaujolais Nouveau tasting.
Photos and text by Maiko Matsunaga
In Paris, the third Thursday of November marks the release of Beaujolais Nouveau. It's a day of joy, akin to a harvest festival, where people taste and predict the quality of the year's wine. While the excitement might not be as intense as in the past, it's still a cause for celebration. Fewer people drink it from the morning now, but festive stalls like this were set up on cafe terraces.
So, we wandered through the Marais district, which seemed to be buzzing with activity. In the heart of the area, where people gathered, cafes fully embraced the traditional Beaujolais Nouveau celebration. Every window, door, and pane of glass was adorned with handwritten messages and illustrations proclaiming, "Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé! (Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!)" Some shops even hung banners and hired musicians for live performances. This style of celebrating is traditional.
In recent years, cafes have increasingly opted for a simpler style, just putting up posters. However, this year, the poster designs were not exclusively classic; many were pop-inspired, which was enjoyable in itself. There were also many simple yet stylish handwritten designs.
In the evening, we decided to visit a wine shop, or 'cave,' on Rue Paul Bert, a street recently acclaimed as a gourmet destination. The shop was called 'CRUS et dècouvertes.' It's a cave run by a young owner, and 95 percent of the wines in the shop are organic. The Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau we tried this time were also organic!
Upon entering, we were guided to the tasting counter. We started with the recommended Beaujolais Nouveau, featuring a tricolor label. The first sip was so delicious that it completely dispelled my previous impression of Beaujolais Nouveau as 'sour and unpleasant, perhaps destined for cafe house wine next year.' It was light, yet satisfying. Not sour. Not astringent. The fact that Beaujolais Nouveau could be genuinely delicious was astonishing! I was truly surprised. The second wine, Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau, had a slight character and a subtly astringent finish. However, it was far better than any Beaujolais Nouveau I had tasted before! I had intended to buy just one bottle after tasting... but they were so good that I ended up buying both (for €7.50 each).
The tasting journey continued. Nearby is the Marché d'Aligre, a market reputed to be the cheapest in Paris. It's a vibrant morning market every day except Monday. Since we were already in the vicinity, we decided to visit Caves d'Aligre as well.
Here too, they offered two types: Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau. While not organic, these wines are unfiltered and come from small-scale producers. This year's harvest is said to be excellent, continuing from last year. However, I wasn't as impressed last year. This time, Beaujolais Nouveau was the clear winner. The price of €6.95 is also very appealing.
While tasting at a wine cave is enjoyable, there's nothing quite like drinking it properly at a bar! So, we stopped by 'Le Baron Rouge,' famous for its wine sold by the barrel. The classic interior of the shop is also charming. A glass costs €2.50. As for the taste... we settled on the consensus that it was 'the usual taste of Beaujolais Nouveau, which is somehow reassuring.'
Back home, we enjoyed Beaujolais Nouveau with dinner. We paired it with simple fare like 'saucisson' (salami) and a herb-infused pâté. It was a modest yet rich day, savoring the gifts of nature.