Drouhin 2016 Beaujolais Villages Nouveau 750ml

Grape Variety: Gamay

Vineyard

Site: the Beaujolais area, although part of greater Burgundy, is very distinct on many accounts. The villages have a different look: instead of slate, the houses have roofs made of red tiles reminiscent of Provence and the Mediterranean world.
History & tradition: Maison Joseph Drouhin has always been deeply involved with the Beaujolais region and was indeed a pioneer when, in the early fifties, they were the first to bottle and ship Beaujolais Nouveau.
Soil: it is pink granite (and not limestone as in Côte-d'or).

Viticulture
Thanks to our experience in the region, we have been able to select various cuvées that complement one another very well and will produce a typical "primeur" wine.

This is where the Gamay grape is king. The type of pruning used in Beaujolais is called "gobelet": no wires between the vines; each plant grows by itself, independently from the others.

Vinification

Method: traditional for Beaujolais; semi-carbonic maceration, full bunches of grapes.
Maceration: 4 to 10 days.
Ageing: stainless steel vat.

Ageing

Short maturing: the wine is released less than two months following the harvest.

Tasting note by Véronique Boss-Drouhin

"The Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau exhibits the same intense colour as the Beaujolais Nouveau, but here the wines are a little fatter and the aromas are more reminiscent of fleshy, ripe cherries, loaded with sugar and sunshine".

Vintage

Owing to the careful blending of various terroirs, the wines are full of charm. The blue red colours are deep, intense, and very attractive.
The nose is on the register of small black fruits with some lightly spicy notes. On the palate they are suave, dominated by fruit, but they still offer an interesting freshness.
There is a clear sensation of ‘biting' into fresh fruit.
Our impressions after these tastings leave us very hopeful of a very pretty cuvée of Beaujolais Villages Nouveau in 2016.

Serving

Drink young at 14°-15°C (57°-59° F).