The third Thursday in November, which was yesterday, is kind of a big deal in the wine world. It’s Beaujolais Nouveau Day, when, under French law, the new batch of Beaujolais Nouveau is released at 12:01 a.m., just weeks after the gamay grapes used to make it were picked.
In France — particularly in the Beaujolais region — it’s a day celebrated with festivals, fireworks and much revelry. Here in the United States, you’ll probably find stack after stack of the stuff at your local wine shop.
Though it’s a fun concept, a very-early taste of the new vintage just in time for Thanksgiving, most of the wine is mediocre or worse. There are some good ones, but they are harder to find and aren’t worth chasing down.
Don’t bother. Pick up a bottle (or six) of our wine of the week: Macari Vineyards 2016 “Early Wine” Chardonnay.
The release of very few Long Island wines can match the buzz generated when this wine hits shelves each fall, right after harvest winds down. I guess you can think of it as Long Island’s Beaujolais Nouveau — except it’s delicious.
It was inspired by the jungwein (young wine) of Macari’s consulting winemaker Helmut Gangl’s homeland, Austria, where they are often served in heuriger (cafeteria-style restaurants) shortly after harvest. Now, head winemaker Kelly Urbanik Koch has really dialed it in.
Released last week, this year’s early wine crackles with acidity and offers aromas and flavors of lime, green apple and citrus blossom. There’s a gentle sweetness here, but all that fresh acidity helps it finish dry. We drink quite a bit of this wine in my house every year. We’ve already ordered our first case, in fact.
The Early Wine is available at Macari’s Mattituck tasting room for $18.
