Yes, today, the third Thursday in November, is the official release date fr this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau.

Being organised I bespoke mine some months ago, especially as the prognostication was this this would be a good year. For the last few years I’ve ordered from a small wine merchant Nick Dobson Wines who have two excellent Beaujolais suppliers: Philippe Deschamps and Vincent Lacondemine.

My couple of cases (why didn’t I buy more?!) arrived this morning.

We waited until this evening to open a bottle. Well actually we opened a bottle of Beaujolais Villages Nouveau from the small vineyard of Vincent Lacondemine. And if you like your Beaujolais, Lacondemine makes some wonderful “proper” Beaujolais Villages which aren’t outlandishly expensive (I don’t buy outlandishly expensive wine).

It came straight out of the bottle, into the glass and down the gullet. And it was brilliant — it is every bit as good as last year’s stunner. A deep raspberry red in colour, with a hit of blackcurrant. Exceptionally fruity. A slight raw, acidic edge but much less than one would expect from Nouveau. And none of the so frequent yeasty taste. Like all Nouveau this is a drinking wine, not a keeping wine. It will probably be past it’s best by Christmas. (OK, so that’s why I didn’t buy more.)

If you haven’t got to this year’s Nouveau yet, it is well worth it. But you’ll likely not get any from Nick Dobson as he has (all but) sold out — as he deals with such small vineyards and buys not a lot more than he has pre ordered. Obviously I can’t say what other vintners have produced, but if they’re anything like the one bottle we’ve swallowed so far it will be good.

Definitely a Red Wine Letter Day!