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liquid Assets Beaujolais Shootout. By David Swartzentruber.
LIQUID ASSETS Beaujolais Shoot-Out
BY DAVID SWARTZENIRUBER
Beaujolais Villages is one of Jacques Depagneux -The newest the world's favorite wines. Beaujolais producer available in this Its light, fragrant character market. Raspberry in the nose, light in will appeal to many who dislike heav- the body, very fruity. Price: About $6, ier reds. featured at Alberta's Restaurant.
Even in this day of rising French - '-\\\\~rc -- .•._..•=--=~er"=: , wine prices, a good bottle ofBeaujo- '~~f'\ '7;-~~, ~ lais can be purchased for around $6, \\ \. . ~ 11 \ ~- ,and it is usua y on most restaurant \ -./ twine lists.
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Beaujolais Villages can even benefit .from being served with a slight chill, which accentuates the wine's cherry-like character.
To find out what's available to consumers in the Portland market and to assess their taste characteristics, I assembled Portland Monthly's first wine tasting panel, consisting of Charles Cragin, Fred Sheehan, lani Swartzentruber, and Brendan Benson.
Eleven Beaujolais Villages wines were tasted, representing everything distributed in the Portland market. Two vintages were represented: 1985 and 1986.
The 1986 vintage was tasted first as it represents the more typical Beaujolais style: light, fragrant, <l!1dfruity.
The 1985 Beaujolais were much bigger-styled wines, worthy of aging.
Here's how our tasters felt about 1986 Beaujolais Villages:
George DuBoeuf - Good bou,quet, light bodied with medium fruit. Good with cheese or mild dishes. Available widely, including Portland Wine and Cheese. Price: $6-$7.
The next six wines were from the 1985 vintage, which in all instances produced a more forceful wine but not necessarily the more fragrant Beaujolais which most consumers expect.
The Beaujolais of 1985 tasted as follows:
Jacques Depagneux - Brilliant in color, luscious, good aftertaste. Around $6 at Portland Wine and Cheese.
Prosper Maufoux - From a very strong Beaujolais producer. Fullbodied, herbal aromas. I liked this one a lot! Around $7.
Rapiteare Freres - Very distinct from the others tasted. Somewhat closed in bouquet and taste. Only at Whip and Spoon, $5.95.
Louis latour, "Chameroy" - A Beaujolais aged in wood, apparently. Pleasant. $6-$7.
Louis Jadot - A wine with higher alcohol, mild tannins, and good structure. Price about $6, widely available.
Barton + Guestier - A very long aftertaste, slightly less fruit, very fragrant. Price: $5-$6, widely available.
St.Aubin - Dark, good body, more Burgundian in character than the rest of the '86's. Available at Model Market (Model Food Importers).
Jaboulet-Vercherre -Very fullbodied, cassis aroma, very well balanced. One of the favorites. Widely available, around $6.
Mommessen - A very accessible Beaujolais, light-bodied with herbal bouquet. Around $6, widely available. You won't go wrong trying any of these wines. With the first cool days of autumn upon us, try some Beaujolais!
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