Don't Fear the Grape

Last Friday I had the pleasure of having my first glass of the 2009 Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau with a small group of friends. While I did anticipate tasting it for the first time, I was still skeptical due to my past experiences with the Duboeuf, because in past years it hasn’t been what I would call ‘drinkable’ due to flaws like bitterness and even mustiness. But all 2009 Beaujolais are supposed to be the best in fifty years. Yes, 50 years! This is due to excellent growing conditions such as weather and overall climate. On our Beaujolais Nouveau podcast, we tasted a Beaujolais Villages Nouveau, which was very good, and I looked forward to comparing it to the Duboeuf.

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Topic: Tips on where to buy wine, reading a wine label and storing wine.

Tasting: 2007 Echelon Vineyards Pinot Noir

Price: $8.49 on sale
Varietal: 87% Pinot Noir 13% Other Rhône Varietals
Region: France > Vin de Pays de I’Île de Beauté
Website: www.echelonvineyards.com

Tad’s Rating: Like It
Patrick’s Rating: Like It

Tip: Always store your wine on its side to prevent the cork from drying out

Episode 3 [ 27:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (40)

Last week (October 1st) I attended a wine tasting I discovered on meetup.com. It was held at the Black Dog Café in downtown St. Paul and was the first in their Meetings with the Wine Trade series. Jane Greenheck from Paustis Wine Company shared her passion for French wines.

It was a rainy night that seemed to keep people home and resulted in a very small turnout (6 people). That made for a very intimate experience and discussion. Jane presented six wines, three whites and three reds.

I must admit, I haven’t drunk many French wines before. I think I’ve subconsciously avoided them in favor of lesser known wine regions. I realize now I’ve been doing myself a disservice; all of these wines were extremely drinkable (yes, even the whites).

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