Wine: Pop of nouveau's cork circles the globe

By TOM BENDER

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Always released on the third Thursday of November, beaujolais nouveau has been consumed as a year-end celebration wine for nearly a century.

But it was not until 1985 that it became a globally marketed and trendy holiday wine.

That's when the Institute National des Appelations d' Origine determined the third Thursday in November as the uniform release date for the "new" wine.

Usually less than two months old, this lightweight, easy-to-drink red can not be shipped or consumed until after midnight on that Thursday.

The French beaujolais is the only nouveau red wine subjected to this scrutiny. Several California wineries have tried to take advantage of the tradition and released their newly bottled wine ahead of the French counterpart.

Over the years, the quality of French beaujolais nouveau wines has improved, but it is subject to poor harvesting and vintages.

Now accounting for a substantial portion of beaujolais production, picking the grapes too early along with the rush to get it to the market can result in thin, acidic and unappealing wines.

That was the case with some of the releases from the 2007 vintage.

In good years, it is a pleasant, vibrant, low-alcohol wine.

Remember to consume the wine shortly after it is released. Its simplicity can make it a crowd-pleaser at Thanksgiving.

If you want to enjoy a beaujolais with more substance, look for a cru beaujolais, which is released later. Some has been barrel aged and can last a few years in your cellar.

Locally, Fresno State Winery will release three new 2008 wines Nov. 20 to celebrate Le Vin Nouveau.

Two of the wines are nouveau-style and the third is the winery's vin d'une nuit. The college winery will be open to the public Thursday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. for a sample of the three wines, light hors d'oeuvres, and a cooking demonstration.

The Fresno State Winery is the nation's first bonded university commercial wine facility and one of the few outside of France to produce nouveau-style wines.

Wine picks are from Tom Bender, wine instructor at Columbia College and wine steward for O'Brien's Market, 4120 Dale Road, Modesto, 545-8100. E-mail him at wineguy@goldrush.com or tom@obriensmarket.com.