When it comes to most areas, I generally like to think that I have my “stuff” together. Sure, my wife (and kids, for that matter) might disagree with that assertion on occasion, but I think they would also concur with the stated premise.
Having said that, a couple of months ago I realized that if drastic measures were not taken, I would have soon found myself a year behind in tasting through samples. I know, I know, this is a “problem” that many people think they would like to have, but let’s just say that trying to catch back up has been difficult.
Last night, as I was going through said samples to pop open another (while I might be woefully behind, the bottles are in some sense of organization, although the casual observer, peering into my office, might challenge that assessment), I came across the bottle pictured below. More on that later.
I have plenty of reasons (some might call them excuses) for my current state of angst, including several funerals (which are never fun), a sharp increase in travel (most of that was “fun” but I have made seven trips over the last year, seven, to the state of Ohio–I was born in the state so I am allowed to assert that Ohio is, well, Ohio), and, at least based on my records, this last year I received a bunch more samples than previous years.
All that navel-gazing brings me back to the bottle of Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau that I (finally) opened last night. As I mention in the note below, Beaujolais Nouveau is supposed to be consumed fairly quickly after it is released on the third Thursday of November. It is not a wine that will improve with age, not a wine that one should spend any time contemplating. In fact, I usually deride anybody who still has a bottle of Nouveau in their possession once the calendar turns to the following year.
Well, here I was, nearly eight months after that “drop-dead” consumption date, staring down a bottle of Nouveau.
What a dope.
On the bright side, it was a bottle from Georges Dubœuf, the single person responsible for the resurgence and popularity of Beaujolais in general and Nouveau in particular. And even though Monsieur Dubœuef passed away a couple of years ago now, the company is in the more than capable hands of his son, Franck.
The wine? It was delightful. Now, while I doubt that it had improved over the last several months in my office, it certainly paired beautifully with our meatless Monday meal of black beans and rice, served with a healthy dose of embarrassment.
2021 Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau, France: Retail $12. Synthetic stopper. 100% Gamay. I am a complete moron, or at best an utter hypocrite. I have spent most of my wine-drinking life professing that Beaujolais Nouveau needs to be consumed in the 5-6 weeks following its release. It is a wine of the harvest, released within a few weeks after the grapes are brought in, traditionally a wine to celebrate the harvest. So by the end of November? Sure. The end of the year? OK. A few scant days before August? Um, well, no. So why? The simple answer is that this got lost in my samples pile (not entirely honest, but close enough). Another factoid: I am an unabashed fan of all things Dubœuf. Nouveau is supposed to be fresh, fruity, and uncomplicated. Bingo. And I might just be slightly disappointed about that–since nine months out, this is still all of those things. And more. I might need to adjust my assertion about the need to consume Nouveau quickly. Very Good. 88 Points.
I’m generally 1-2 months behind putting up my notes.
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You are my hero! Right now, I am about seven months behind!
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Love the title of this post.
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Shocker. Lol.
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You are a lucky man.
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About some things, for sure!
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