Franck and Anne Duboeuf with the newly released 2019 vintage of their family's Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau.
Art, science, history, and culture, wine can be analyzed from many angles but let’s not diminish wine’s role as a great source of pleasure and its powerful ability to bring people together. Beaujolais Nouveau is unabashed in celebrating the joyous nature of wine. Call it clever marketing, but Beaujolais Nouveau’s official release on the third Thursday of November, is probably the world’s most famous wine holiday. There’s something quite endearing about the notion of wine lovers around the world eagerly awaiting the new vintage. And when I think of Beaujolais Nouveau, Georges Duboeuf is the first name that comes to mind.
My father, a classically trained chef, gave me my first bottle of wine when I was a nerdy but gastronomically curious 16-year-old. That wine was Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau. I’m sure my father never imagined that one day I would be invited to taste the 2019 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau with Anne and Franck Duboeuf.
Franck and Georges Duboeuf
image courtesy of Quintessential Wines
Sipping with Anne and Franck was an important reminder that although Georges Duboeuf is an internationally recognized winery, there is a real family at the heart of the business. The Duboeuf family has been associated with wine for four centuries and Franck’s father Georges founded his eponymous winery in 1964. In 1974, they released their first commercial vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau and when it finally came to the United States in 1983, Americans were giddy with excitement and quickly embraced this unintimidating French wine.
While we often evaluate wines in terms of their ability to age, youth is the essence of Beaujolais Nouveau’s charms. The first wines of the harvest to be bottled and released, Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be consumed while young. Fresh, fruity, and full of life, Duboeuf’s 2019 selections are full of personality. Approachable but not bland, these food-friendly wines are meant to be shared. Bursting with flavor but not aggressively complex, they enhance the meal and mood without taxing your palate.
image courtesy of Georges Duboeuf
Franck said that weather conditions made the 2019 harvest a challenge. But although the yields were smaller, the quality of the Gamay grapes used to craft the 2019 Beaujolais wines was excellent. As Franck, said 2019 has “bursts of flavors and aromas” and is “Beaujolais Nouveau in the highest sense of the word. It is a vintage of pleasure, a very Beaujolais vintage.”
Stumped on what wines to serve this holiday season? Beaujolais Nouveau is a smart and delicious choice that won’t break the bank. Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods and add easy elegance to the meal.
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau Rosé 2019 ($12.99)
Winemaking is clearly in the Duboeuf family’s DNA – Anne and Franck’s 22-year-old son made this charming rosé! 100% Gamay, it is a beguiling shade of pale pink rose petals. Fresh, fruity, and juicy, it is delicate but not bland with pretty flavors of peach and grapefruit. Serve chilled and chill out!
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2019 ($12.99)
Although very young, there’s an impressive heft to this wine. Luscious and juicy, you can really taste the full range of the Gamay grape’s flavors. Vibrant flavors of berries and cherries make this an easy-to-love sip. Remember to serve slightly chilled.
Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau 2019 ($12.99)
Fuller-bodied and more complex than Beaujolais Nouveau, these Gamay grapes were sourced from 38 villages with more granite and schist in the terroir. While still fresh and juicy, the wine gets added oomph from tangible minerality. Serve slightly chilled.
image courtesy of Georges Duboeuf
If you're planning a trip to France, Georges Duboeuf welcomes guests at Le Hameau du Vin, the biggest wine theme park in Europe. Until then, pick up a few bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau and take your palate on an elegant journey.
Merci, Anne & Franck Duboeuf for sharing your wines and joyous spirit!
