Bastille Day Celebrations

Fred Tasker’s wine suggestions

IT’S BASTILLE DAY, SO LET’S TALK ABOUT FRENCH WINE.

TO CELEBRATE, YOU SHOULD STOP BY YOUR FAVORITE WINE SHOP ON THE WAY HOME TONIGHT AND BUY A BOTTLE OF BEAUJOLAIS.

BEAUJOLAIS? YOU ASK. BUT IT’S NOT NOVEMBER. IT ISN’T TIME FOR BEAUJOLAIS.

AU CONTRAIRE, MON FRÈRE. TONIGHT’S THE PERFECT TIME.

THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY NOVEMBER IS – AS YOU KNOW IF YOU LISTEN TO THIS PROGRAM REGULARLY – BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU DAY, SET BY FRENCH LAW.

BUT THAT’S BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU. NOT REAL, REGULAR BEAUJOLAIS.

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU, MADE OF THE JUICY GAMAY GRAPE, IS THE FIRST WINE OF THE FRENCH HARVEST, PICKED IN SEPTEMBER. IT’S QUICKLY CRUSHED, FERMENTED FOR JUST A LITTLE WHILE, BOTTLED AND SNUCK OUT INTO THE WORLD A WEEK BEFORE THE DEADLINE SO IT CAN BE MIRACULOUSLY PUT ON SALE IN LOCAL SHOPS AT 12:01 A.M. ON THAT THURSDAY.

THIS IS TASTY – YOUNG AND FRESH AND VERY FRUITY AND LOW IN TANNIN BUT HIGH IN ACID, SO IT’S REFRESHING AND LIGHT. NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT EXCEPT THAT IT AGES VERY POORLY AND SHOULD BE DRUNK WITHIN SIX MONTHS. IN FACT, THE RULE OF THUMB IS, “BUY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, DRINK BY CHRISTMAS. OR AT LEAST VALENTINE’S DAY.”

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU MAKES UP ONLY ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF ALL THE BEAUJOLAIS.

THE OTHER TWO-THIRDS — REAL, REGULAR BEAUJOLAIS — GETS A FULL, REGULAR FERMENTATION AND AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT OF AGING BEFORE IT’S BOTTLED AND SEND TO U.S. WINE SHOPS IN EARLY SPRING THE FOLLOWING YEAR.  IT CAN AGE FOR A YEAR OR TWO, ALTHOUGH NOT MUCH LONGER.

IT’S ACTUALLY A MUCH BETTER WINE. TRUTH BE TOLD, IT GETS THE BETTER QUALITY GRAPES. IT’S FULLER IN BODY, DEEPER IN ITS JUICY FLAVORS OF TART STRAWBERRIES AND TART CHERRIES. A REALLY NICE WINE FOR ROAST CHICKEN, TURKEY, GOOSE OR EVEN PHEASANT, IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ONE.

ANY BIG WINE SHOP WILL HAVE IT. SO STOP ON YOUR WAY HOME AND GET A BOTTLE AND POP IT OPEN TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE BASTILLE DAY.