The holidays are the time of the year we share wine with friends and family. This year I decided to introduce my 21 year old daughter to red wines. Like a lot of novice wine drinkers, her tastes are tuned to white wines that are slightly (or noticeably) sweet. But she’s been drinking some sangria of late so I thought the next step was tasting some fruit-driven, soft reds.

I immediately thought of Beaujolais as this was one of the first red wines I discovered back in the day. Made from Gamay Noir in an appellation to the south of Burgundy, Beaujolais continues to deliver great value even in times of challenging exchange rates. And it’s not clear to me why this is given the overall market and mainstream awareness of the area due to massive marketing for Beaujolais nouveau every November.

So this Christmas I opened a bottle of Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2009 in the place of my usual Bordeaux or aged California Cabernet. And while it struggled to keep up with the rib roast at times, I found the wine to be bright and satisfying. And my daughter is now a red wine fan even without the fruit juice and ice. Perhaps next year she will develop a taste for more hearty wines? We’ll see.

Tasting notes:

Louis Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages 2009 ($12) – Ruby in color with aromas of strawberry and fennel. Bright, juicy cherry and strawberry fruit finishing with a touch of banana and supple tannins. Has everything I love about Gamay at a fair price and available just about everywhere.

12.5% ABV
Composite cork closure

[rating:3.5/5]
Score: 88
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