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| An ad for this year's Beaujolais Nouveau. The Wine Spectator offers a review of this year's wine. |
What are you planning to drink with your Thanksgiving dinner in this unusual and very restricted year? When the fad for Beaujolais Nouveau was a big deal a number of years ago, we used to have it with our turkey every year. The producers in France release the first bottling of the new Beaujolais vintage on the third Thursday in November: coincidentally just in time for Thanksgiving. In the past, you had to reserve your wine, as only a few bottles arrived by air freight in the US quickly, and the rest came on a ship quite slowly. The familiar French announcement was "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!"
Sadly, the 2020 celebrations of the new wine in the Beaujolais region were cancelled due to the pandemic, and there are worries about how it will be shipped and sold. The harvest is good, but the distribution is precarious!
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| Image from a EuroNews video about the 2020 Beaujolais Nouveau, which was released November 19, 2020. (source) |
Advertising campaigns in the 1990s vastly increased the demand for this young wine, and the vineyards and wine-shippers of Beaujolais began to bottle much more of new wine. They revised the arrangements to get it to market, so they could ship it before the release date, which is less fun, and the price crept up, so in recent years we have chosen other wines for Thanksgiving. Also this year, increased tariffs on French wine have made a formerly inexpensive treat into a higher-priced choice, and the pandemic, as I mentioned, is interfering with distribution. Some producers aren't even sending any to the US.
I'm sure we will have some wine with whatever we eat on Thursday! Maybe even Beaujolais Nouveau 2020 (though I haven't yet located any available locally). I'm sharing my Thanksgiving beverage thoughts with other bloggers who get together at the Altered Book Lover blog.
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| Harvesting the grapes, 2020. It was a very abundant and promising harvest. |
They have to be DRUNK fresh! Finger crossed that they have figured out the shipping and distribution.
ReplyDeleteYes, a weird year, hope you find a good wine.
ReplyDeleteJust read the Braunschweig Christmas Market is canceled thanks to "Corinna".
All those people who loose out again, it´s sad.
We used to get a bottle each November, but have not lately. Sometimes I guess life just gets complicated, though I might need to call our favorite little wine store and see if they have any.
ReplyDeleteI'll have water lol I used to drink iced tea but have switched to water for meals. Maybe I should see what reds are available at the grocery when I go...
ReplyDeleteI'll probably be having soda. Maybe apple cider.
ReplyDeleteWe will most likey have a Dreaming Tree Crush with Thanksgiving. Doug is grilling steal and we love a red blend with that dinner. Haven't had a Nouveau in a long time but we used to get it a World Market every year.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually planning on having juice and water, because I don't drink wine. I've never found a wine I cared for except a sweet dessert wine that others wouldn't touch. Guess that shows my taste. Thanks for yet another unusual and unique post for T this almost Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteProbably ice tea or water with our meal
ReplyDeleteAlways interested in French wines as I have family there and have had some VERY good ones;) Not a fan of Beaujolais but I do get a kick out of the excitement over it. Happy T Day and happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteWe've had a big push here to drink local wine. How do your local wines compare?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your thanksgiving dinner and good wine. I won't be cerebrating, but hope you all have a good and safe day! Valerie
ReplyDeleteThe wine looks delicious! I live in the UK so we don't officially celebrate Thanksgiving, although me and hubby usually have some American treats in store like American pancakes with crispy bacon for breakfast and pumpkin roll ...lol 😀. Have a wonderful time over Thanksgiving and sending you Happy T Day wishes too! Hugs, Jo x
ReplyDeleteWe might break out my last bottle of Cabriz (Portuguese white) for our turkey breast. I need to get more of that one. (Our wine store has curbside pick-up!)
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Mae. I know your table will be filled with delicious thigns!
Himself and the Young One don't drink. If the Eldest were still at home, I would have picked up a bottle of Zinfandel which is my favorite. I prefer sweet whites to red. Happy T Day and Happy Thanksgiving
ReplyDeleteI hope you can find some Beaujolais Nouveau for Thanksgiving. Our (affordable) wine choices in Mexico. Most wines sold here are made in Mexico or South America and they're too harsh for our taste. Wines from Europe and the U.S. are quite expensive.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving and Happy T-Day! Stay safe and stay well. Hugs, Eileen
I have never understood the craze for this super young wine. I am not a fan. But I do like a good glass of wine with a special dinner. I hope you find a nice one for Thursday.
ReplyDeleteHappy T-Day,
Lisca
It is a hard year for all kinds of businesses. The wine looks good though. We are not having anything special to drink with our Manicotti dinner. Enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThis has definitely been a hard year on most businesses! What is really strange or unbelievable is how it has been the same world wide! We are all in the same boat!
ReplyDeleteHappy Tea Day!
I'm not much of a wine drinker these days but have visited quite a few vineyards in the past! Belated Happy T Day and Happy Thanksgiving! Chrisxx
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