|
Downtime Food & Wine-National News What’s new, Primeur donna?
| What’s new, Primeur donna? |
|
|
| Friday, 16 November 2007 | |
|
The annual rush to produce a drinkable, properly made
wine to be drunk worldwide in the year the grapes were
grown notably started with the arrival of Beaujolais
Nouveau in 1951. Its release date then was November 15 at
1am from the vintner’s gate. A lot has changed since then.
Most regions now produce a Nouveau (or Primeur) red,
white and even rosé. The release date is now, for AC wines, the
third Thursday in November, from a controlled, bonded
warehouse anywhere from Japan and Australia to California
and Alaska. For wines under the Vin de Pays category, often with a varietal name on the label, the third Thursday in October is the norm but local variations are in force. The Nouveau reds and rosés should be soft, fresh, fruity, with aromas and a taste of raspberries, strawberries and cherries, and have low tannins and good acidity. Both are designed for drinking early, preferably by Christmas. The production method is often by semi- or full carbonic maceration which can give aromas of bubble-gum or bonbon anglaise. The white wines should be crisp and clean with good fruit, often citrus or apple. A Nouveau party with barbecued food, served outdoors, or indoors in bad weather, can brighten up a dull November evening. The Nouveau selection This is one time in the year when there is no problem about tasting before you buy. Many producers, cooperatives and stores have these young wines on dégustation gratuite for at least the first few days from release. Prices and quality vary considerably so it is worth looking round.
For the Beaujolais and
Mâconnais, taste before you
buy, but be wary of the least
expensive wines.
Caves de Régusse, with
25 shops all over France, is
offering a 70% syrah/30%
merlot red and a 100% dry
muscat white Nouveau this
year. When we tasted the
wines at the end of
fermentation but prior to
bottling, at their cellars in
Pierrevert (04), they were full
of Eastern promise.
Sauvion in the Loire will
be offering a Muscadet AC
from the third Thursday in
November. This wine already
promises to be crisp and dry
with excellent fruit. It will
make an ideal
accompaniment to shellfish
and fish on the ‘barbie’, for
that last outside meal.
Sauvion at Château de Cléray
(44) in the Loire will be
offering ‘Sauvion Nouvelle
Récolte’ from November 15
and not their more traditional
Muscadet primeur. OEnologist
Jean-Pierre Sauvion has
promised a wine that is “dry,
well-balanced and fresh with
flavours of peach, pear and
honeysuckle, and good
length”. The retail price will
be under €5. Early vendange gives mixed promises The 2007 grape harvest was again very early. Many regions started picking in August or at the beginning of September. The quantity is down, probably a good thing. The quality varies by region. The Loire Valley reports a vintage which “varies considerably across the region, but is generally early, good quality but low in quantity”. Burgundy and Beaujolais state that “vineyard hygiene is under control”, while the southwest claims “hygiene control is excellent”. Inter Rhône confirms the vineyards “are in a good state”, a fact that ‘French News’ verified on a visit as the harvest started. Bordeaux has only given the dates of harvesting, offering nothing about quality or quantity. In Provence, where the vendanges started on August 17, the quantity is well down but quality is good. In Alsace, an interview on the Hugel et Fils website with the ebullient and wellloved octogenarian Johnnie Hugel gives details of the harvest and shows just how ripe the grapes are in the vineyards. In conclusion, this vintage is likely to be average to good.  Jocelyn Plat presenting his Primeur Régusse at his store in Gap at the launch on October 18. Vin Primeur Blanc 2007 is 100% muscat, a dry, very crisp, clean, aromatic and fruity white. Vin Primeur Rouge 2007 is 70% syrah and 30% merlot. Dry, with an excellent bouquet of red berry fruits that follow through on both the palate and the finish. Both are on sale at €4.65. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
| Drive to help women boost their UK state pensions |
| Further to recent articles in French News about women's pensions, the UK Department of Work and Pensions has issued a press release explaining that "women pensioners could boost their state pension or even be in line for a windfall payment under special terms. | |
| Read more... |
