Every third Thursday of November, the same bottle makes the news: Beaujolais Nouveau, bottled weeks after harvest, fun by Christmas, forgotten by spring. It's a good party. It's also why most people think Beaujolais is light, simple, and not worth keeping.
I grew up in Burgundy, next door to these hills, and I've watched that reputation follow some of the most honest wine in France. So on Nouveau night, we do it my way.
We pour this year's Nouveaux — Then we climb, villages, and crus: Same grape in every glass — the difference is the hill it grew on and the time it was given.
We finish with an aged one. Seven years in, it's the proof.
Charcuterie and Cheese on the table, no dress code, no tasting vocabulary required. You'll leave knowing which hill you like — and with a strong opinion about next year's Nouveau. 1. Come for the Nouveau. Stay for the crus.