Beaujolais Nouveau 2005 - out today !

Thursday the 17th November sees the release of the 2005 Beaujolais Nouveau. Tradition demands it, both Rick and I will be on tasting panels to judge the new wines, said to be excellent this year due to the hot weather experienced this summer. The evening remains one of the highlights of my gastro calendar. What starts off as a very serious appreciation of an artisanal product, quickly degenerates into a music hall type atmosphere of drink, food and communal singing. The Beaujolais Nouveau is a particular wine, in the fact that most agree it is best drunk very young (within a couple of months of production). The Gamay grape gives the wine a fresh fruity aspect that varies in flavor bias from year to year. When choosing a cigar to smoke at this event or with this wine, bear in mind the lightness and freshness of the wine. Choose a cigar that will work with the wine and not against it. I will be smoking a Romeo y Julieta Cedros De Luxe No.1, light/medium forest/fruit woody flavors. Perfect cigar, in my view, to accompany this wine. Enjoy and don't hesitate to tell us about your Beaujolais Nouveau evening.