Friday Night Wine School - Not Nouveau, The True Spirit of Beaujolais

Join us for our attendance-limited, signup-only Friday night tasting!  Tastings are held on the back patio with a max of 10 people per time slot.

At that stroke of just after midnight on November 16, 2023, oenophiles all over France will begin their jubilant celebration in honor of the end of the harvest and the uncorking of the Beaujolais Nouveau.  Well over 100 events throughout France will be held with fireworks, music, and, of course, tastings, as “tout le monde” vie to sample the current batch of Beaujolais Nouveau - light, fruit-driven wines made with barely fermented Gamay grapes that are best consumed as soon as possible - literally.   But, never fear, there are 3 different quality levels of Beaujolais above Nouveau and these are the ones we get excited about! 

The entry-level wines that are simply labeled Beaujolais, are made from grapes grown throughout the Beaujolais region, especially in the south. These also tend to be on the fruit-forward side and are meant to be enjoyed in the first year or two after the vintage. Beaujolais-Villages wines are based on Gamay grapes that were grown in the northern part of the Beaujolais region, specifically 38 permitted villages. And Beaujolais Cru — also called Cru Beaujolais — are grown in any of ten specific northern locales whose typically granitic soils (though they are far from uniform in composition and character) can produce the most age-worthy and complex of all red wines from Beaujolais.  So, needless to say, the least expensive wines generally come from the south, and the more expensive and age-worthy wines come from the north. And if this was all you learned about Beaujolais you’d know enough to dive in and start learning by tasting but as always with wine, a lot of the fun is in the details.

We are here to help with those details as we taste different wines from the 3 categories and talk about the terroir that makes them special. What makes Saint Amour so delicate while Brouilly is more structured and complex? What is the difference between a village-level wine and a cru?  This is a great tasting to learn about one of our favorite regions and pick up some of the best wines ever to pair with your grateful gathering on November 23rd!

-All ticket sales are final.
-We will hold our tastings outside on the patio from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on Fridays weather permitting, if it rains we move inside to the back of the shop.
-Your $5 tasting fee is refunded when you purchase a bottle of wine from the tasting. Limit 1 refund per bottle per customer.
-Please arrive 5 minutes early for your time slot, as we may not be able to move you to another spot.
-No waiting in line for your taste of wine in a plastic cup and snippet of info. During your time slot, you will have the presenter's undivided attention as you learn about and taste the wines from Riedel glassware.
-When your tasting is over, you can browse and shop or enjoy a glass or bottle at our indoor and outdoor tables.