Dark reddish-purple with a clear garnet edge. The aroma is exuberantly fruity, as you would expect from a Nouveau, but it’s a fresh, clean fruit – juicy, ripe strawberries and tart black plums – in an aroma and flavor that’s indisputably “grapey,” but we’re talking about European-style Gamay grapes here, not your grandmother’s Concord. Abundant fruit pours over on the palate, too, crisp and freshly acidic, 13% alcohol, with a fresh, ripe and palate-cleansing finish that lasts and lasts. U.S. importer: Wines of France Inc., Mountainside, N.J.; Alain Junguenet Selections. (Dec. 7, 2016)

FOOD MATCH: Fine sipped as an aperitif or in any setting where a light, fruity red will serve: Burgers, red-sauced pasta, pizza, cheese. We enjoyed it with fresh, homemade cream of tomato soup and thin-sliced Parmigiano-Reggiano.

WHEN TO DRINK: Soon. Maybe not before New Year’s, as the old wisdom suggested, but Beaujolais Nouveau is made to enjoy, not to cellar away.

VALUE:
My local price is on par with the $13 U.S. average retail listed by Wine-Searcher.com for the few U.S. vendors carrying this Nouveau this year. If you can find it, it’s the rare Nouveau that legitimately commands a mid-teens price.

WEB LINK
Domaine Rochette showcases its Beaujolais, including the Noveau, in this brief page in French and English. Browse through the site for more about the winery and its wines.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
The production run for Domaine Rochette 2016 Beaujolais Villages Nouveau was apparently limited, with only a couple of U.S. vendors.

Try this link, though, for a broader selection of Beaujolais wines from Domaine Rochette. Also, Alain Junguenet’s portfolio is widely distributed, so it might be worth contacting the importer to ask about retailers near you who handle these wines.