The festival may have been for the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau right after the harvest in November. This has become a big deal here in the US as well, thanks to the promotional efforts of one of the well-known shippers. It arrives here by air each year the week before Thanksgiving and is widely touted.

Yep, I'm off...looking forward to drinking my faves on their home turf...uh...terroir!

I totally agree that we are all entitled to our favorite wines.
I am not a fan of white wine, while many others.

But having had to use listerine as such, and remembering the burning sensation on my gums, and the offensive mouth odor it causes, I had to stand up for my beloved little beaujalais!

"...wines in France aren't classified by varietels but by regions and vineyards with each region."

This was posted earlier. I think I know what is meant by "classified" (as in the 1855 Classification in Boordeaux), but this does not apply to the world-class growing region of hedonistic whites of Alsace.

What super information. Anyone care to comment on Cahors? I have been told to look for 2003, 2000 or 1995. And what is a red 'vin de sable' from the Aigues Mortes region?

Pascal, of Olivier Leflaive Burgundy wine tasting fame, told us (in jest) that choosing wine was as simple as ABC – Anything But Chardonnay.
Isn’t the raison d’etre of the Nouveau Beaujolais that is is the first taste of the new harvest?
ira - I knew you could do it. Seriously, thank you for the wonderful information.
hanl - May I come for dinner. Sounds utterly fantastic.
Birthdaygirlstrip – just curious – is it Birthday Girls Trip or Birthday Girl Strip?

The only issue with Pascal's advice is that white Burgundy is chardonnay! He must mean the California, oaky kind of chardonnay. Cahors is well known for wines made mainly from the Malbec grape. The reds are usually very dark and robust and used to be known as the "black wines of Cahors." And yes, the raison d'etre for the Nouveau is the first taste of their harvest; these wines should be drunk before the year's end as they do not age well. They should not be confused with the more respected Beaujolais Villages and the nine growths or Crus of Beaujolais such as Morgon and Julienas.

Hi Rob,

>Isn’t the raison d’etre of the Nouveau Beaujolais that is is the first taste of the new harvest?<

Not really. DuBoeuf came up with a great marketing campaign.

Once upon a time,the peasants and villagers worked their butts off bringing in the harvest. As a reward for the help, the Signeur opened up a barrel or two of the new wine and threw a party.

Back in the old days, the new wine was probably better than the stuff the villagers and peasants got to drink the rest of the year.

((I))

so can i really get a decent bottle of wine (to drink while getting ready for dinner) at a monoprix or should i go to a wine store?
thanks for the info on cahors-i never knew what it was-so it is like the chilean wines i've had w/ the malbec grape?
what is brouilly? chinon? madiran? i tend to ask for my waiter's recommendation but one place we know we will be dining has these but i am always guided to a rhone.

Chinon is a light read wine from the Loire Valley. Brouilly is a red wine from the Beaujolais. Cahors are very drinkable wines from the Périgord region, and a Monbazillac--from the same area--is a lovely, slightly sweet wine that's perfect for a before-dinner drink

For Brouilly info:
http://a-la-recherche-du-vin.typepad.../brouilly.html

Chinon is a Loire Valley wine from the vineyards around the town of Chinon. One of the best known makers of Chinon is Couly-Dutheuil, which is located directly across the street from the castle in Chinon (of Joan of Arc fame).

you guys are great! i am printing this out and bringing it w/ me on my trip.

Hi P,

>so can i really get a decent bottle of wine (to drink while getting ready for dinner) at a monoprix or should i go to a wine store? <

Whichever is most convenient.

At the Monoprix, you can also pick up a snack.

((I))

Robespierre - I must humbly disagree with the idea of tinkering with (French) wines. The addition of oak (often liquid) has made some Australian and Californian wines far too harsh and IMO unpallatable.
When you uncork wine and the predominant smell is sulpher, something is seriously amiss. Sulfite introduction makes wine undrinkable for some people who report headaches, etc.
The usual reason to tinker is to get a product to the market more quickly or more cheaply, not to improve it for the consummer. Surely I am misinterpreting your intent.

The New York times today has an article on Robert Parker but I couldn't find it.

Surely you are misinterpreting my intent.

The original goal of the <i>appellation control&eacute;e</i> laws was laudable, but in practice they prevent vintners <u>any</u> deviation from standards, even those that might improve the product. They are exemplary of the Law of Unintended Consequences.

http://www.cellarnotes.net/appellati...in_france.html

Here you go:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/22/di...pour.html?8dpc

robjame writes about Robes...&quot;Surely I am misinterpreting your intent.&quot;


RJ, I think you mis-read him completely.

The AOC regulations don't prohibit French winemakers from experimenting to product better wines - all they say is that if you want to call your wine &quot;Bordeaux&quot; (for example) you have to comply with the multiple rules for what legally defines Bordeaux. The presumption is that the AOC provides information to the consumer on what to expect in the bottle (which I think it does) and at the same time establishes a sort of miminum quality level (which is debatable, unless the emphasis is on &quot;minimum&quot; rather than &quot;quality&quot;).

Unfortunately, the economics of wine are such that it takes a brave producer to forsake the $$$$ he can get by labelling his marginally drinkable (but AOC-conforming) plonk &quot;Bordeaux&quot; for the $ he'll have to settle for (initially, anyway) producing a superior wine that can only be called Vin de Table. It can, however, be done - just ask Piero Antinori, or better yet go out and get a bottle of Tignanello and see what can be achieved by breaking the rules.

&lt;A reminder about Muscadet and Sancerres... they are pretty dry&gt;

mais oui, that's why we like 'em

The NY Times article is in today's Dining and Wine section, called &quot;Decanting Robert Parker&quot;.