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For Immediate Release
Contact: Melanie Young, M. Young Communications Inc.
212-620-7027 ext 303/melanieyoung@myoungcom.com
Georges Duboeuf Forecasts Favorable Vintage For 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau
Wine To Be Shipped By Boat To Reduce Carbon Footprint
New York, October 22 - Beaujolais wine producer Georges Duboeuf predicts a sunny forecast for the 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau vintage. Duboeuf proclaimed that yields will be lower, and the wine will be more full bodied than in 2007.
Beaujolais Nouveau will make its debut Thursday, November 20, following the tradition of annually releasing this wine the third Thursday in November. Duboeuf and exclusive agent, W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. are planning major “Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé!” events in New York, Miami, Las Vegas and other cities nationwide to mark the occasion.
By French law, the first cases of Beaujolais Nouveau are traditionally shipped via air freight from France one week prior to the official release to consumers at 12:01 a.m. on the third Thursday in November. This year, in an unprecedented break from tradition, two-thirds will be shipped earlier in November by boat to help reduce the carbon footprint of the wine’s release. According to Les Vins de Georges Duboeuf’s exclusive U.S. agent, Bill Deutsch, Chairman of W.J. Deutsch & Sons Ltd., this measure will not only address environmental concerns about shipping the wine by air, but will also keep the price of the wine comparable to its 2007 retail price, $10 -$12 per bottle.
“This is a special arrangement for this year that we felt was important to our customers who may be concerned about both the environment and rising costs,” Deutsch said.
The young fruity wine is made from the region’s Gamay grape. By law, the grapes must be harvested by hand, not machine. “The 2008 Gamay berries show thick skins, a good sign for the tannins and anthocyanin, which leads to beautiful color and strong structure for the wine. Ideal weather conditions with warm bright sunshine the second half of September will add to the lushness of the grapes. We are seeing dazzling colors of deep red with flashing tints of sumptuous shiny purple,” reported Duboeuf.
“The sun blessed us with rich ripe-hued grapes. The first vats we tasted offered an exciting range of aromas- red currant, raspberry, wild strawberry and wild peaches with hints of black currant. The flavors are deep and balanced on the palate with a pleasant roundness. Our impression is that, due to the smaller yields, the structure of the 2008 vintage is more full-bodied than the 2007,” said Duboeuf. Harvest peaked September 25th. Yields will be approximately 750,000 hl.
Georges Duboeuf is the most popular producer of Beaujolais in the world and the number one French wine brand in the US. Georges currently represents over 400 winegrowers in the region. A self-made entrepreneur, he formed “Les Vins de Georges Duboeuf” in 1964, which he now oversees with his son, Franck. Today, Les Vins de Georges Duboeuf includes wines from Beaujolais, Mâconnais and Southern France. The wines are renowned for their quality, value and consistency. They are sold in 120 countries throughout the world. The wine is imported exclusively in the U.S. by W.J. Deutsch & Sons Ltd.
A website www.chilledred.com with information on Beaujolais Nouveau and arrival events around the U.S. will be available in early November.
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