Definition: Beaujolais primeur

At the end of summer, after cultivating and tending his vines for nine months like precious treasures from which he expects the very best, the winegrower monitors the ripeness of his grapes every day and then decides when to harvest them. The main qualities of Beaujolais Nouveau lie in its exuberant youthfulness, its frankness and its deliciousness. These qualities are achieved by harvesting the grapes at a specific moment of ripeness. Only the winegrower's expertise, and no other tool, can determine this key moment.

Beaujolais is one of the only French vineyards where red wines are made from whole bunches. For Beaujolais Nouveau, Gamay grapes are harvested by hand and placed intact in the vats for vinification. All stages of fermentation are then carefully considered and decided upon according to the qualities that nature and the weather have given to the harvest.

Gamay does not keep you waiting. Combined with Beaujolais winemaking, it quickly releases its highly aromatic fragrances. From the very first hours in the vat, Beaujolais Nouveau takes on a cherry colour and exudes fruity notes. The winemaker then carefully monitors the transformation of the grapes into wine, which will only truly reveal itself to the taste buds after a few weeks of patience.

Every year, on the third Thursday of November, Beaujolais Nouveau arrives. It is a wine for moments of collective indulgence and celebration in the midst of the grey winter months. During these few months of frost, this simple, enjoyable wine, this wine of discovery, this wine that is affordable for all palates, is the perfect accompaniment to our local dishes. But without passion and mastery of ancestral know-how, there would be no magic in wine. The soul of the winemaker and their talent are the driving forces behind this creation, which has remained unchanged for 60 years.

After three years of travelling around cosmopolitan capitals, the fourth version of Mademoiselle Mommessin takes on a decidedly 1960s look and reinvents its own Pop Art* style.

Very much in tune with the times, as evidenced by the exhibition held from March to July 2009 at the Grand Palais in Paris, "The Great World of Andy Warhol".

* Popular art. An artistic movement that emerged in Great Britain in the 1950s and gained popularity in the USA thanks to artists such as Richard Hamilton, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, among others.

Far from being iconoclastic, the new Pop Art packaging for Beaujolais Primeur or Mommessin Nouveau remains faithful to the principles that guided this 20th-century artistic movement, for which art is a consumer product. The use of popular images, far removed from any elitist vision, is sure to appeal to lovers of Beaujolais Primeur.

Colour to brighten up the autumn with a red and rosé Beaujolais Primeur, boldness to dress up the Beaujolais Nouveau Mademoiselle Mommessin and, above all, the pleasure of tasting a fresh and delicious Gamay: this is what Mommessin's Pop Art version* has to offer!

This autumn, to get into the Pop Art spirit, head to your favourite bistro on the third Thursday of November to simply enjoy Beaujolais Nouveau in the company of Mademoiselle Mommessin. A very tasty range!

The style of Mommessin wines can be defined in two words: elegance and smoothness. The primeurs, these new wines that come out three months before the others, deliver this expression in their early youth, with complete spontaneity. Highlighting a very natural fruitiness, finesse and crispness in a glass whose deliciousness calls for another, to brighten up an often gloomy end of the year.

It all starts with rigorous work on the grapes and the selection of the finest fruit. Traditional vinification of the exuberant Gamay grape variety, which favours long vatting periods of up to twelve days, explains the suppleness and finesse of these wines, where the tannins have had time to melt away, leaving a long and silky finish. It was therefore very logical to borrow the femininity and freshness of Mademoiselle Mommessin to embody the allure of a very tender brand.

And it's unique! Every year, the House carries out this stylistic exercise of developing a range of new wines with distinct personalities on its velvety framework. From the softest to the most powerful cuvée, here is a crescendo of each one's character, nuanced by the vintage effect, which is promising in 2009:

Mâcon Villages (white): fresh, lively and fruity,

Beaujolais Mademoiselle Mommessin: delicious and crisp,

Beaujolais Villages Mademoiselle Mommessin: fruity and full-bodied,

Château de Montmelas: distinctive and indulgent,

Cuvée Lydie: aromatic and racy,

Cuvée du X septembre (date depending on the day of harvest): refined and elegant.

Quiz How much do you know about Beaujolais Nouveau?

1 - When does the sale of Beaujolais Nouveau begin? The third Thursday in November The third Wednesday in November The first day of December

2 - In what year was this date set? 1951 1967 1985

3 - What is the main characteristic of Beaujolais Nouveau? It is a wine for ageing It is a blend of white and red wine It is a primeur wine

4 - In which region is Beaujolais located? Burgundy Pays de la Loire Rhône-Alpes

5 - What is the main grape variety in Beaujolais? Gamay Chardonnay Pinot Meunier

6 - Can Beaujolais Nouveau be stored? Yes No It depends on the vintage

7 - Is Beaujolais Nouveau exclusively red? Of course! No, there is also rosé No, there is also white and rosé

8 - How much of the Beaujolais Nouveau production (450,000 hectolitres) is exported? One third Half Three quarters

9 - Who are the leading importers of Beaujolais Nouveau? The Americans The Chinese The Japanese

10 - Why can the Japanese taste Beaujolais Nouveau before the French? Thanks to the time difference Because they are very good customers Because in Japan, Beaujolais Nouveau is tasted when the cherry blossoms fall.

Quiz answers:

1 = 1

2 = 3

3 = 3

4 = 3

5 = 1

6 = 2

7 = 2

8 = 2

9 = 3

10 = 1

See also the entries "Beaujolais nouveau 1" and "Beaujolais nouveau 2 (bain au)".