An image of a bottle of red wine with a label identifying it as 2019 beaujolais-villages nouveau by Georges Dubouf

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!“—a proclamation that’s heard around the world on the third Thursday of November each year, announcing the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau, a wine made from Gamay grapes grown in the Beaujolais region, located in Burgundy, France. Under French law, this iconic wine is released at 12:01 a.m., just weeks after the wine’s grapes have been harvested. Its release is celebrated with fireworks, music, and festivals all across the country.

Today, Beaujolais Nouveau is quite polarizing among wine lovers: they either love it (helping to propel the wine into cult status), or scoff at it (opting for bottles of higher-end, cru Beaujolais). So, what’s all the fuss about? Let’s dive into the history behind Beaujolais, and the debate surrounding Beaujolais Nouveau.

About the Beaujolais region and its wines

The region of Beaujolais is comprised of small, family-owned wine growers, and is a study of the Gamay grape, which touts a bright purple juice, medium body, fresh acidity, and fruit-forward flavors. While Beaujolais wines are produced in small-scale quantities, there are countless variations that range from firmer and more earth-driven flavors from the north, and softer, easier-drinking flavors from the south.

There are 12-different Beaujolais appellations, 10-of which are known as crus. These 10-crus are the region’s most celebrated wines, and each is unique thanks to its terroir (a combination of soil, vine and climate characteristics). However, folks in the United States primarily know the Beaujolais region for one thing: Beaujolais Nouveau. This affordable, light-hearted, and fruit-forward wine has gained mass-adoration from wine drinkers today. Its release also falls one week before Thanksgiving in the U.S., making it a staple of the Thanksgiving spread today.

The debate surrounding Beaujolais Nouveau

Because Beaujolais Nouveau is released shortly after harvest, its grapes have very little time to ferment and virtually no time to settle or age. This means its wines are light in body and simple in flavor—perfect for easy sipping for any wine drinker. It also costs a mere $10-$20 a bottle, making it an inexpensive bottle for mass audiences to consume and love.

On the flip side, some wine connoisseurs consider Beaujolais Nouveau pale in comparison to the nuanced, savory, age-worthy cru Beaujolais wines that have risen in popularity over the last decade. Some even consider Beaujolais Nouveau to be offensive to the region, calling it “barely wine” and blaming it for blemishing the reputation of the Beaujolais region.

Try the Beaujolais Nouveau 2019 for yourself!

There’s only one way to choose which side you’re on in the Beaujolais Nouveau debate: come try the wine for yourself! We’ll be tasting this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau in the shop on Friday, November 22nd from 1-6pm. This wine is not designed to age, and should be consumed within the first few months of its release, so come taste it at its best. Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day—we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

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On Friday 3-15-19, we will be pouring the 2016 Joseph Cattin Pinot Blanc, from Alsace, France, as well as the  2016 Liesl Pinot Noir, from Pfalz, Germany. Our beer selection will be the Guinness 200th Anniversary Export Stout, from Dublin, Ireland.  We will have these open for tasting and discounted from 1pm-6pm! We look forward to seeing you at the tasting!

On Friday, 3-8-19, we will be pouring the Les Hauts de Lagarde Rose 2018, from Bordeaux, France, as well as the Portillo Malbec 2018, from Mendoza, Argentina. Our beer selection will be the Dogfish Head 120 Minute Imperial IPA, from Milton, DE.  We will have these open for tasting and discounted from 1pm-6pm! We look forward to seeing you at the tasting!

On Wednesday, 3-6-19, all Domestic Red Wine is 15%-Off when you buy any 2+ bottles of Any Domestic Red Wine in the store!
(Sale prices valid on in-store purchases only.)

Want to be the first to know when we get a new beer in? Or maybe just what beer we currently have in-stock? Just go to:
https://www.beermenus.com/places/8282-wines-off-wynkoop
Follow us on beermenus.com, and you’ll automatically be notified anytime we add a new beer to the shelves!

Thank you for being a patron of Wines Off Wynkoop.
We special order, deliver downtown for free to both residences and businesses ($30 minimum), and have free parking next to the store in the alley. We appreciate your business, and look forward to continuing to serve you! And our ears are always open on how we may better serve you, so please let us know how we might improve.

On Friday, 3-1-2019, we will be pouring the Pierre Chainier “1749” Sauvignon Blanc 2017, from France, as well as The Wolftrap Red Blend 2017, from Western Cape, South Africa. Our Beer selection is the Avery Brewing Co. Double D’s Barrel-Aged Spiced Ale 2015, from Boulder, CO. We will have all of these open for tasting and discounted between 1pm-6pm. We look forward to seeing everyone at the tasting!

On Wednesday, 2-27-19, all Domestic White Wine is 15%-Off when you buy any 2+ bottles of Domestic White Wine in the store!
(Sale prices valid on in-store purchases only.)

Want to be the first to know when we get a new beer in? Or maybe just what beer we currently have in-stock? Just go to:
https://www.beermenus.com/places/8282-wines-off-wynkoop
Follow us on beermenus.com, and you’ll automatically be notified anytime we add a new beer to the shelves!

Thank you for being a patron of Wines Off Wynkoop.
We special order, deliver downtown for free to both residences and businesses ($30 minimum), and have free parking next to the store in the alley. We appreciate your business, and look forward to continuing to serve you! And our ears are always open on how we may better serve you, so please let us know how we might improve.

On Friday, 2-22-2019, we will be pouring the Charles Smith Winery Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2017, from Columbia Valley Washington, as well as the 19 Crimes Red Blend 2017, from South Eastern Australia. Our Beer selection is the Epic Brewing Co. Big Bad Baptista 2018, a Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with Coffee and Cacao Nibs, located in Denver, CO and Salt Lake City, UT.  We will have all of these open for tasting and discounted between 1pm-6pm. We look forward to seeing everyone at the tasting!

On Wednesday, 2-20-19, all Imported Red Wine is 15%-Off when you buy any 2+ bottles of any Imported Red Wine in the store!
(Sale prices valid on in-store purchases only.)

Want to be the first to know when we get a new beer in? Or maybe just what beer we currently have in-stock? Just go to:
https://www.beermenus.com/places/8282-wines-off-wynkoop
Follow us on beermenus.com, and you’ll automatically be notified anytime we add a new beer to the shelves!

Thank you for being a patron of Wines Off Wynkoop.
We special order, deliver downtown for free to both residences and businesses ($30 minimum), and have free parking next to the store in the alley. We appreciate your business, and look forward to continuing to serve you! And our ears are always open on how we may better serve you, so please let us know how we might improve.

On Friday, 2-15-2019, we will be pouring the Brunori “le Gemme” Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2017, from the Marches region of Central Italy, as well as the Jean-Luc Colombo “Les Abeilles” Côtes du Rhône 2016, from Southern France. Our beer selection is the Avery Brewing Co. Tweak Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee Stout 2016, from Boulder, Colorado. We will have all of these open for tasting and discounted between 1pm-6pm. We look forward to seeing everyone at the tasting!

On Wednesday, 2-13-19, all Imported White Wine is 15%-Off when you buy any 2+ bottles of any Imported White Wine in the store!
(Sale prices valid on in-store purchases only.)

Want to be the first to know when we get a new beer in? Or maybe just what beer we currently have in-stock? Just go to:
https://www.beermenus.com/places/8282-wines-off-wynkoop
Follow us on beermenus.com, and you’ll automatically be notified anytime we add a new beer to the shelves!

Thank you for being a patron of Wines Off Wynkoop.
We special order, deliver downtown for free to both residences and businesses ($30 minimum), and have free parking next to the store in the alley. We appreciate your business, and look forward to continuing to serve you! And our ears are always open on how we may better serve you, so please let us know how we might improve.